Public Addresses Possible Tax Levy Increase

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By Marlana Smith

  Approximately 25 people were in attendance for the hour-long informational meeting regarding Proposition Raiders held in the high school library Wednesday, July 19, 2023, at 6 p.m.

  This proposition is an operating levy measure that would increase the tax levy by $1.4500 if North Shelby District voters were to pass it in the August 8 election.

  The adjusted operating tax levy of the district is estimated to increase by $1.4500 from $3.9019, currently, to $5.3159 per one hundred dollars of assessed valuation and will be applied to the assessed valuation in Tax Year 2023 and each year thereafter.

  North Shelby Superintendent Tinna Croy said the operating tax levy would be used to pay all district daily operating costs, including faculty and staff salaries, building maintenances, students materials and more.

In the past five years, NS has had a 92% turnover rate. Dr. Croy said this is due to several factors such as retirement, spouse transfer, burnout, and moving to another district for an increase in salary.

  “For more than 20 years, the district has maintained their own minor salary raises without asking for additional funds from the community,” Dr. Croy continued, “The debt service has dropped twice since 1998 which provided tax breaks to everyone in our district. North Shelby sits as one of the lowest on the scale in comparison to neighboring districts.”

  The floor was opened to the public for questions.

  Shelby County Collector John Chinn asked, have you worked out the numbers? Do you know how much the additional 1.4500 percent will bring in?

  Dr. Croy said it is going to bring in approximately $594,000.00 the first year.

  Collector Chinn said based on the numbers he works through he came up with $601,152.00 on 2022 numbers. That is not based on the increase in the levy that is coming from the valuation.

  Chinn said the county also has two one-half cent sales tax that are going on after the most recent election.

  “It just seems like a 35% increase in the tax levy for this small school district at this time, the way the economy is and with other things that are coming out of the county, it just seems like an awful load, personally to me,” said Chinn.

  NS Board President Scot Shively said one of the things the board is looking at is that the district is one of the lowest paid school districts in northeast Missouri and the district is trying to stay competitive and keep teachers here.

  Shively stated every school that borders North Shelby had dropped down to a four-day week and are paying $40,000 to $41,000 and we are asking teachers to stay five days a week.

  “We think education is a very serious thing for our students. We think five days a week is the way to go to keep our high-test scores,” Shively continued, “We have a great school and a great school system and want to continue that. If we have to drop down to a four-day week to keep teachers and pay the same salary we are paying today, the value of that education of those kids is going to drop.

  “It is all up to if you want to have highly educated kids or we want to let those kids’ education go downhill.”

  Chinn replied, “I am just telling you what the dollar looks like. You’re asking for an awful lot of money in one tax levy.”

  Dr. Croy said in the last 20 years the board has elected not to take the full levy on six different occasions. The board only took what they needed.

  “You have had very good administrators and board members who have directed this district in managing the funds how they needed to,” Dr. Croy said.

  If the district increases its base, it ripples through, and every employee gets a salary increase according to Dr. Croy.

  Chinn explained he calculated his tax bill and right now it looks like an increase of somewhere over $1,000 if this proposition passes.

  “I don’t want to pay more taxes folks, I’m sorry. I have had enough of them,” said Collector Chinn. “In the economy that we are in, the times we are in, there are people that are struggling.”

   Mary McCoy asked, of the proposed increase what percentage of it is going to the salaries?

  Dr. Croy responded, all of it.

  McCoy said, the wording on the ballot says something different.

  NS Board Member Joshlin Yoder said, the language needs to be that way because we don’t know exact dollar for dollar how much that salary is going to be from one year to the next.

  You must have the language in that fashion so if we end up having $10,000 extra dollars above what the salary is, that will be in the operating budget to use for other things. But the purpose of the funds is to go to the salaries increase.

  McCoy said her concern is she wants the money to all go to salaries.

  Shively responded, that’s what the board wants first.

  McCoy said she doesn’t want to build a new greenhouse, ball diamond, or turf a football field out of this fund.

  “That’s where you have faith in your board, because they want salary increases, that’s what they are running this for,” Dr. Croy said.

  Dr. Croy explained they couldn’t use bond money to increase salaries because the bond will eventually run out and levies will continue based off taxes.

  Mark Wilson said he and families’ farming operation taxes would increase by $3,192.73. This number only figures in the things outside of the city limits. Wilson said this number doesn’t include his parents house or vehicle.

  The board looked at several different options of what we could put up and propose. Our thought was if we are going to go somewhere, we got to shoot for something we think gives a chance,” Yoder explains.

  “If we shot for a lower number and that was wrong, it is going to be a lot harder to come back and ask for more two years down the road.

  “Yes, we are asking for a big increase and a substantial increase to teachers’ salaries. but we didn’t do it lightly. We are trying to do everything we can and be sure we are putting our best foot forward to retain teachers, to attract teachers and to keep our school as the premiere school in our part of the state.”

  Dr. Croy said, the board has really tried to keep from asking for more money. They know how important this school is to this community. They know asking for taxes, puts them in a difficult position.

  “They are doing it because they want to take care of the teachers,” Dr. Croy added.

  The meeting ended at 7 p.m., and the regular board meeting began.