Francis Howell School Board Continues Tax Rate Discussion on Thursday

The tax rate for fiscal year 2012 will once again be discussed at Thursday's Board of Education meeting. 

The Board and administration have spent the past two meetings discussing what the potential tax rate would be. At Thursday's meeting, District Chief Financial Officer Kevin Supple will present a concrete plan that would keep the District revenue neutral.

Supple's presentation calls for a rate of $5.185, which would be an increase from the 2010 rate of $5.0008. Supple's proposal paints the picture that a rate increase is needed to pump more money into the schools. Property taxes declined by nine percent in 2009 and another three percent. Funding from the state and federal levels has also gone down. 

The District is facing a $5 million shortfall in fiscal year 2013. Under the proposed tax rate, the District would turn a profit in fiscal year 2012 that would help reduce the deficit in 2013 to $3.3 million. 

Other items on the Board's agenda include:

• The policy that was , was revised and will have a second reading at the meeting. 
• Two work sessions will be on the agenda. The first is in academic workshop. The second is the first reading of the 2012-13 calendar. 
• The Board will, as usual, vote on purchases more than $7,500. This meeting has four items, the most expensive being a purchase of two cargo vans.