New
law to lower Belvidere School District's
revenue
Tuesday, July 27, 2004 • By KATHERINE BLOK
• The Express-Times
BELVIDERE -- Because of a new state law, the 5-cent
school tax rate increase Belvidere residents approved in
April will be significantly reduced.
School officials said Monday the law allows a maximum
budget surplus account of 3 percent of the total budget.
Previously the minimum surplus districts were required to
maintain was 3 percent, school business administrator Ronald
Rush said.
Voters approved a tax levy of $3.06 million during the
April school board elections, Rush said. With the change in
surplus, the district will be collecting less revenue, about
$2.9 million, Rush said. Though the tax rate change has not
yet been calculated, Rush said the increase will be "less
than a penny."
The district will lose $99,444 in revenue because of the
new law, according to Rush's calculations. The change, which
occurred after budgets were approved, has created "a lot of
problems for a lot of people," Rush said.
The new law had bipartisan support and was approved
relatively quickly, Superintendent Jean Atkin Gool
said.
"It's awful," she said. "We're damned no matter what we
do."
The attempt at property tax reform is "purely
political," board member David Cheatham said. "It's a
painless way for the legislators to say they've taken care
of property taxes."
Board member Pete Grogan said, "The residents approved
(the tax levy). We need the teachers -- that's two
teachers."
Belvidere eliminated five teaching positions earlier
this year because of budget constraints. School board
members, teachers, students, parents and administrators have
lobbied the state for additional funding. The state board of
education awarded a $50,000 grant to the district earlier
this month, which will be used to reinstate one of the
eliminated teaching positions. Administrators have elected
to hire a new physical education and health teacher, Gool
said.
The new maximum surplus "doesn't make any sense at all,"
Grogan said.
Reporter Katherine Blok can be reached at 908-475-8044 or
by e-mail at kblok@express-times.com.
Copyright 2004
The Express-Times. Used with permission.
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