City school board breaks trend by OK’ing tax rates that don’t create new revenue

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020 — For one of the first times since the passage of the 1990 Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA), the Bardstown Board of Education did not approve a tax rate that creates up to a 4 percent tax revenue increase.

In a 3-2 vote, the board voted at its meeting Tuesday to approve the compensating tax rate, a lower tax rate than last year, and a rate expected to generate about the same amount of revenue as last year’s tax rate did.

The board had considered leaving the tax rates the same as last year’s rates — 86.4 cents per $100 value for both real estate and personal property — which would have created slightly more than a 3 percent increase in additional tax revenue. That proposal was the subject of a public hearing the board conducted Monday night.

But after an explanation of the tax rate options by the school district’s treasurer Tracey Rogers, board member Andy Stone made a motion to adopt the lower compensating rates of 83.7 cents per $100 value for real estate and 85 cents per $100 value for personal property. The motion was seconded by board member Jennifer Shrewsbury. Board member Jim Roby joined Stone and Shrewsbury to vote in favor of compensating tax rate.

Board chair Kathy Reed and board member Franklin Hibbs III voted no.

After the meeting, Superintendent Ryan Clark said he felt the board’s action reflects on their acknowledgement of the financial strain the COVID-19 has created on taxpayers in the district.

In other business, the board of education:

— approved a memorandum of agreement with the University of Louisville and KCTCs regarding dual credit courses for education and health science pathways.

— approved the working budget as presented by district treasurer Tracey Rogers.

— watched an update on site preparation work on the new elementary school.

— approved a resolution providing district employees with 10 days off if they need to be quarantined due to COVID-19.

— watched a slide presentation as part of the superintendent’s report on success stories of students who have obtained internships in fields related to their interest areas.

NEXT UP. The Bardstown Board of Education will next meet at noon on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020, at the district’s Central Office on North Fifth Street.

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