Bayless Tax Rate Jumps to Keep Up with Lower Assessment

With property assessments dropping, the school district has raised its tax rate for next year to the tune of 14 percent on residential property.

The Bayless school board approved the tax rate during a brief hearing and meeting last Wednesday.

The tax rate submitted to the state auditor would raise property taxes $129 for the owner of a $150,000 home—from $935 in 2011 to $1,064 in 2012.

The new residential tax rate of 3.7323 per $100 of assessed value is a 13.75 percent increase from the previous year’s 3.2812 tax rate. This tax rate is a combined rate of 3.2083 for school operating funds and 0.5240 to fund paying off the district’s debt.

The debt service levy jumped 19 cents from last year—about 34 percent.

This newest assessment cut into the district’s total assessed valuation, which is already low. Residential property values fell by a total of 9.64 percent, and commercial property fell by 5.57 percent. Personal property increased by a slight 0.38 percent.

The new tax rates applied to the new property assessments will bring in a total of $142,073 more revenue than last year, or about 2.63 percent.

Only one district resident spoke at the public hearing before the school board passed the new rates. Ronald Levy took issue with the proposed 19 cent hike in the debt service levy, and he threatened to call for an audit of the district.

Correction: A previous version of this article mistakenly spelled Mr. Levy's first name "Robert."