Howell Board to Re-Open Tax Rate Discussion

Following the Sept. 15, Francis Howell Board of Education meeting the Board wasn't scheduled to meet again until Oct. 20. That is no longer the case.

At 7 p.m. tonight, Sept. 28, the Board will at the District Administration building. The agenda for the meeting is short—just one item long. The only topic of discussion will be the 2011 tax rate.

The agenda for Wednesday's meeting includes four possible tax rates for discussions. The high end is $5.1852 and the low end is $5.0052. The other two options are $5.1352 and $5.0852. 

, the Board approved a tax rate of by a 4-3 vote to raise the rate to $5.1852—up from the 2010 rate of $5.0008. Board Director Mark Lafata, Treasurer Mike Hoehn and President Mike Sommer voted no on the rate.

During the meeting, Hoehn proposed a tax rate of $5.1352—a nickel less than the one recommended by Chief Financial Officer Kevin Supple. Hoehn said that rate would still keep things revenue neutral and still turn a profit, but would reduce the burden on taxpayers. His proposal was voted down with Directors Cynthia Bice, Amy McEvoy, Marty Hodits, and Lafata voting no. 

Lafata pitched a rate of $5.0852 at the meeting, but it never got the necessary second and was killed. 

Talk about the tax rate continued well after the vote in the Board comments portion of the evening. Even after the meeting, email communication between the Board continued prompting a scheduling of the special meeting. 

The tax rate is for the 2011 year. Each tax rate is determined by dividing the amount of revenue required by the current assessed valuation. The result is multiplied by 100 so the tax rate will be expressed in cents per $100 valuation. Supple said the basic way of thinking about the rate is that a nickel of taxes is worth about a million dollars to the District. 

The meeting will start at 7 p.m.