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BELOIT -- The West Branch Local School District will ask voters to support a new property tax levy in the upcoming General Election in November.
In its July 20 meeting, the board of education voted unanimously to approve a resolution to place a new five-year 1-mill permanent improvement levy on the ballot in November. The proposed levy has a five-year collection period beginning in tax year 2026 and continuing through tax year 2030, and if approved by voters in November would first be collected in calendar year 2027.
If approved, the levy is estimated to generate $441,471 for the district annually. The cost of the levy to taxpayers would be $35 for each $100,000 of assessed property valuation, meaning the owner of a home valued at $200,000 would pay twice that amount.
District officials have argued that West Branch currently has no permanent improvement levy, and that as district buildings continue to age, that money is necessary to maintain them.
In the board's prior meeting on June 15, Superintendent Matthew Manley also stressed that funds from the levy would be and could only be used for those maintenance costs.
"Our buildings are approaching 25 years old, and we have repairs that need to be done to stay in operation. A permanent improvement levy cannot be used for salaries. It can't be used for anything but its purpose. Some of that is not glamorous like asphalt. It's not glamorous until your car hits that pothole, and you have a broken rim. That's what it's for," Manley said.
At that meeting Manley also argued that one mill "really is the smallest you can levy" and that without a levy the district would have to utilize funds for repairs which would otherwise be spent to benefit students.
"One mill is the smallest you can levy. What does that mean? Thirty-five dollars per taxpayer per $100,000. We're not here to tell you to vote for it or not. We know that nobody wants to say 'yay, tax me more.' But here's the bottom line," Manley said. "Buildings are getting older. How do you pay for repairs? Do you want to take it out of the money for the students, or do you want to designate a fund to pay that so we can meet the students' needs? It's $35 per $100,000 per year. Not half-year, per year."
In the July 20 meeting, Manley said that district administrators had "begun to work on some non-political handouts for folks that describe the need for the bond issue" in preparation for the upcoming election.
The West Branch Board of Education will meet next at 6 p.m. on Aug. 17.