Bonds, tax levies spread across county ballots

by Eric Olson

SBJ Reporter

eolson@sbj.net

Greene County school districts are not alone in their quest for additional funding to make up for state budget cuts. A record number of districts 114 throughout Missouri will present tax increase proposals to voters at the April 6 regular election, according to a recent Department of Elementary and Secondary Education survey.

"This is an unprecedented number of districts to be seeking tax increases at the same time," said Jim Morris, DESE public information officer.

Springfield is putting a 25-cent operating tax levy increase on the June 8 ballot.

While school funding is the hot-button issue, Greene County fire districts also are seeking additional monies at the polls, mostly in response to growth, fire chiefs say.

Willard schools

Fresh from breaking ground for a new high school, Willard R-II School District is seeking a 45-cent operating tax levy increase from the current $2.75 tax base to maintain class sizes, educational and athletic equipment and programs, and accreditation standards.

If approved, residents would pay $85.50 more in property taxes for a $100,000 home this year, and up to an additional $19 in 2005. The new levy would generate about $900,000 locally and $500,000 in additional state funding, based on the current funding system that rewards higher local levies, according to Willard Superintendent Dale Houck.

The new high school, set for completion in August 2006, is funded with a previously approved $19.6 million bond issue, Houck said.

The operating levy funds salaries, utilities, programs and supplies. If the tax levy fails, district officials say, more than 30 teacher and staff positions would be cut, class sizes would increase, athletic and activity programs and budgets would be cut in half and a base-salary freeze would remain for a third straight year, among other things. Such measures would cut $1.5 million, the expected state shortfall, from the operating budget.

State revenues have been cut three years in a row, reducing Willard's fiscal year 2005 operating budget to $18.5 million $3 million below FY 2002. According to DESE projections, state revenues earmarked for Willard may drop below $5 million for the first time since FY 1994. School officials say there were 1,000 fewer students then. As of September, Willard had 3,465 students.

"We can't absorb that type of reduction in state funds without a significant impact on the quality of our educational programs, unless we get some help from the people," Houck said, adding that he feels good going into the vote. "I feel very positive about it. The community is very proud of their school district."

Houck said the district learned from Mountain Grove, where voters weren't told what specific cuts would be made before heading to the polls. An operating levy increase failed overwhelmingly there.

"We're letting everybody know in advance what the impact would be," Houck said. "I would want to know."

Willard's board of education has promised to decrease the levy accordingly should state funding get reinstated.

"If the legislature comes up with some type of funding plan that restores partial funding for FY '05, the board would reduce that proportionately," Houck said.

Republic schools

Also at the state minimum tax base of $2.75, where it's been for 10 years, is the Republic R-III School District. Superintendent Pam Hedgpeth said now is the time to raise it because as state funds are dwindling, enrollment is rising.

"This is kind of a double whammy for us," Hedgpeth said of the dual challenge of educating 150 new kids each year with less and less money. The state cut $1.2 million from Republic's education budget of this school year and another $1.6 million could be lost for 2004-2005.

Passing the new operating levy would cost Republic homeowners $55 the first year and an additional $19 the second year for a $100,000 home.

Hedgpeth said district officials have not stressed to the public what specific cuts would be made should the levy fail, "as much as just saying we've been wise stewards of your money and we just really need your help right now. We have put out there some possible cuts that we would look at, but we would take that to our community if this failed for a final say."

On the chopping block are teacher and teacher aide positions, alternative school and transportation. Class sizes also would be larger, she said.

Republic district officials also are asking for approval to sell $3.1 million in bonds that would not increase the debt service levy. These monies would add new classrooms and renovate elementary space, and purchase land for a new high school.

Strafford schools

Strafford's R-VI School District is proposing a $6 million bond issue to construct additional middle school classrooms and a fine arts center for the high school; renovate the elementary school library; make air conditioning improvements to gymnasiums; acquire the district's 20 buses under lease with the Missouri Association of Rural Education; and repair existing facilities.

Jack Graves, president of the Strafford school board, said it would not increase taxes. The money would be paid back in 15 years, he said.

Logan-Rogersville Fire

Logan-Rogersville Fire Protection District returns a capital improvement bond issue to the ballot after an attempt failed last June. This time around the fire district is asking for a $2.75 million bond issue, up from the $2.5 million bond issue voters previously turned down.

The new monies, to be paid back within 15 years, would fund four new fire stations, three fire trucks and pay off $525,000 of existing debt service. It also would double its current paid staff of seven by the end of the year, said Travis Trent, deputy fire chief.

"It is due to growth," Trent said of the district's needs.

While district officials say those capital improvements are necessary, it's the potentially lower insurance ratings such investment would bring that Trent is touting. The district's Insurance Service Organization, or ISO, rating is 6/7, he said.

"We're hoping to be able to bring that down to about a five, which is exceptional for a rural district like we are," Trent said. "The insurance companies will look at that."

After doing the math, Joyce Stevenson of Rogersville Insurance Agency decided she'd vote for the bond issue.

"I am in favor of it," Stevenson said. "It will increase the taxes, but from a personal standpoint, I know that my house insurance is going to go down more than my taxes are going to go up, providing the ISO rating goes down as expected."

Based on premium quotes from insurance carriers her company works with, Stevenson figured an ISO rating of 5 would mean a 5 percent to 8 percent reduction in insurance premiums for a $100,000 home. Businesses could expect similar decreases, she said.

Trent said there is no Plan B should the proposal fail a second time. "We'll just do our typical 10-year plan replacing the stations every so often throughout the years."

Battlefield Fire

The last time the Battlefield Fire Protection District increased its tax levy was in 1986. According to Fire Chief Jerry Sparkman, personnel circumstances merit another increase.

"We are getting by, but the volunteer situation has gotten so bad that we have seen the need to go paid," Sparkman said.

And that's exactly what the maximum 10-cent increase, taking the levy to 35 cents, would do if voters approve it, Sparkman said. The additional $327,000 it would generate is earmarked for as many as 10 new firefighters or emergency medical technicians. Each position would cost the district about $30,000, including wages and benefits. The levy generated $830,000 last year.

"We're not getting rid of our volunteers but they are going to have to be our second line of defense because we don't have enough to make that the first line," Sparkman said.

Battlefield's volunteer firefighter base has shrunk from 60 a decade ago to 22 currently.

Sparkman's goal is to have three paid staff on duty at all times at each of the four stations in order to decrease response times. There are eight paid firefighters and full-time maintenance, mechanic and secretarial personnel on staff.

Brookline business license fee

A first-time ballot issue for the village of Brookline asks voters to approve a $25 annual business license fee.

Though fewer than 10 businesses operate in the village, Brookline officials anticipate new commercial growth where the James River Freeway extension meets MM Highway. Carnahan-White Fence Co. has begun site work for its new corporate home there, and other commercial parcels are for sale. Carnahan-White owner Stacy Hammitt and developer DuWayne Eoff acquired 60 acres, which they divided into 10 lots. D&J Automatic and Murphy Tractor own parcels.

"It probably should have been passed a long time ago," said Ruth Sawyer, Brookline city clerk. "We just didn't have a lot of activity until the highway came through here, and now we're having more interest from people building and putting a business here."

The fees are expected to bring in about $300 annually to start and would go for operating and processing expenses, Sawyer said.

Gayla Foley of Brookline Woodworks, which recently acquired a Springfield zip code, said she would support the fee if her business were still in Brookline. She expects other business owners will.

"What's $25, really? As long as they put it to good use," she said. "With (Brookline) growing with the highway, eventually it may bring in some money."