City school board lowers property tax rate; OKs additional COVID relief for employees

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021 — Following a public hearing regarding the proposed property tax rate Monday that no one attended, the Bardstown Board of Education vote to lower the property tax rate.

The tax rate decrease was necessary due to the reassessments of property values within the city school district. State law limits the district to a 4 percent revenue increase on property taxes that isn’t subject to recall. Lowering the tax rate was necessary to avoid creating more than 4 percent in new revenue.

The board voted to lower the property tax rate from 83.7 cents per $100 value to 83.1 cents per $100 value. The tax rate for personal property will remain the same as last year, 85.0 cents per $100 value. The district will also be able to collect 1/2 a cent to help with discounts and exonerations.

“If I ever heard of a win-win situation, this is it,” board chairman Andy Stone told the board Tuesday of the lower tax rate that still created additional revenue for the district.

District treasurer Tracy Rogers told the board that the 4 percent in additional revenue will amount to approximately $420,000. Much of that additional revenue will be spent to cover step pay increases for teachers.

NEW BOARD MEMBER SWORN-IN. Dr. Lindsay Blackmon was sworn-in Monday evening following the end of the tax rate public hearing in the board of education’s meeting room. Blackmon was appointed to serve the unexpired term of Franklin Hibbs.

ADDITIONAL COVID HELP. The district also approved making five paid days off available to employees who either contract COVID-19 or must quarantine. This benefit is on top of the state’s COVID benefit.

In other business, the board:

— approved the Fiscal Year 2021-22 working budget;
— approved the main campus master plan for renovations.

NEXT UP. The board meets next at noon on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021.

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