Ozark School District seeks voter approval for tax levy transfer

The Ozark School District is seeking voter approval for a tax levy transfer that officials say would help the district offset rising operating costs.

Under the proposal approved for the Aug. 5 special election ballot at the Ozark Board of Education's May 21 meeting, taxes would not be increased for residents, according to a news release. The overall tax levy of $4.14 would remain unchanged – as it has since 2003 – but approval at the ballot box would mean the move of 20 cents per $100 of assessed valuation from the debt service fund into the operating fund.

The move is expected to increase the operating fund by $1.5 million. Pay increases for district employees are among planned expenses.

"In essence, we are asking our community to transfer money from our savings account to our checking account to help with staff salaries,” Ozark School District Superintendent Lori Wilson said in the release. “By making this transfer, we can increase salaries without asking our community for a tax increase.”