City school board sets preliminary tax rate to create 4 percent revenue increase

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019 — The Bardstown Board of Education set its preliminary 2019 tax rate at 86.4 cents per $100 value in order to create 4 percent of additional tax revenue for the district.

The tax rate was the topic of a special-called meeting Thursday evening.

Superintendent Ryan Clark explained that setting the preliminary tax rate is the first step in the 45-day process of setting the final 2019 tax rate. He emphasized that the preliminary tax rate is exactly that — preliminary — and that the final tax rate the board approves could be less.

The proposed tax rate is not a 4 percent tax increase, but an increase in the tax that generates an additional 4 percent in revenue over last year’s tax rate.

The 86.4 cents per $100 tax rate also includes 2 cents per $100 value that the district is allowed to collect to help make up for those who pay less in tax due to discounts or exonerations.

The next step in the tax rate process will be a public hearing set for 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 19, 2019, at the board’s meeting room at Central Office. The public is invited to attend and offer input on the proposed school tax rate.

The public hearing will be advertised in the local newspaper ahead of Aug. 19th hearing.

TAX HISTORY. Since 2015, the board has set the tax rate to generate a 4 percent tax revenue increase with the exception of 2016. That year, the board opted at the last minute to set the tax for a 3 percent tax revenue increase.

NEXT UP. The city school board public hearing regarding the tax rate is 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 19, 2019.

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