THE POWER OF .1

Even though school was out in June and July, our students were still busy. A team from our middle school’s HOSA chapter placed in the top 10 at an international competition in Nashville this summer. HOSA stands for Health Occupations Students of America, and it’s a group for future health professionals. This is a huge accomplishment, and we’re so proud of them!

I also want to say a massive “thank you!” to our wonderful LC food service staff. This summer, they worked tirelessly to prepare and hand out thousands of meal packets to students during the summer feeding program. Their hard work ensures our kids are well-fed, and we’re so grateful for their dedication.

We also have some fantastic news about our youngest learners. All three of our preschools, located at Blaine, Louisa West, and Fallsburg, received a 5-star rating from the Kentucky Department of Education. This is the highest possible rating a preschool can get, which means our littlest students are getting a top-notch start to their education!

Now, for information about a recent decision made by the school board. They voted and made a needed small increase in the property tax rate. This is a minimal change for home or property owners, but it will make a big difference for our kids and facilities. This is not an increased rate on anyone who rents a home, as you don’t pay property tax on what you rent. It also does not increase the school rate on any motor vehicles.

For a home or property valued at $100,000, the rate will go up by about $31 a year. The board set the new rate at 62.0 cents for every $100 in assessed property, which is just 3.1 cents above the current rate of 58.9 cents.

In Kentucky a public vote is not needed for rates set by the Board of Education to go into effect. Public votes only happen if a rate is set that increases the school district’s property revenue by more than 4% and a group of citizens completes the challenge process required by the state. In this case, the set rate of 62.0 is only 0.1 above the 4% revenue increase rate of 61.9, so only 0.1 is subject to recall. If this were to happen, it means the set rate would only drop $1 for a $100,000 home/property. But this .1 is a little thing that means a lot.

I recommended that the board make this small increase because of the power of .1. That extra (.1) increase in the tax rate (combined with additional money the district will earmark for facility use) is what will give our district special funding from the state, called equalization money. By state law the additional 0.1 had to be above the 4% increase rate for the equalization to go into effect. Equalization money can only be used on school facilities.

This is a game-changer because it would increase our potential to borrow money for future projects from about $14 million to $25 million when equalized (matched) by the state. It would also make LC schools eligible for potential additional facility monies awarded by the General Assembly for districts and schools with urgent facility needs.

This will allow us to make much-needed upgrades to our schools, helping us build a better future for our kids. This includes things like installing safety vestibule entryways at each school, and purchasing the Lawrence County Community Center and converting it into an elementary school to replace the current Louisa West. Anyone who would like to see the presentation given to the board about the rate increase and facility plans can visit www.lawrence.kyschools.us for more information.

It is by caring enough to invest a little today that we can start a ripple effect that helps our children and our community for years to come. If you have questions about state equalization or the rate increase, please feel free to contact me at 606-638-9671, and I would be happy to speak with or meet with you.