- April 25, 2024
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The Flagler County School Board held a special meeting Tuesday, July 19, to announce a tentative millage rate of 8.031, a fraction of an increase over last year’s number.
The Flagler County School Board agreed July 19 to a tentative millage rate of 8.031 for the 2011-2012 fiscal year.
Despite property values dropping more than 13% this year, the millage rate remained relatively unchanged. Last year, it was 8.013.
If that rate sticks, a resident with $100,000 of taxable property value this year and last will see an increase of $1.80 in next year’s tax bill from the School Board. However, many residents will see their bills decrease because of decreased property values.
With property values showing a combined 48.1% decline in the past four years, School Board millage rates — the largest item on residents’ tax rolls — has risen .721 mills, or a 9.9% increase. That means the tax rate hasn’t kept up with the declining revenue, and that means less and less money for the district, according to Tom Tant, finance director.
“It isn’t an increase, it’s a decrease,” he said of the bump from an 8.013 rate in the 2010-2011 fiscal year, to this year’s 8.031 rate. “Big picture,” Tant said, “our revenues went down more than $10 million, and our students went up by about 100.”
That revenue dip is including a $540 per-student federal funding reduction, as well. Before the reduction, Tant said, Florida was ranked near last in the United States in education funding.
To combat the shortfall, the School Board has reduced school time, cut teachers, limited energy use and made bus systems more efficient. School Board member Colleen Conklin proposed suing the state for neglecting its constitutional obligations.
“We’ve been doing the right things, management-wise, to keep (costs) down,” Tant said. “That’s why we’ve been able to accomplish what we have so far. We’re an A school district.”
“Is (the budget) going to change in the next three or four years?” Tant asked. “I don’t think so. But we’re trying to be prepared … My job is to keep everybody in reality.”
A public hearing to adopt the tentative millage is scheduled for 5:15 p.m. July 26, at the Government Services Building.
Contact Mike Cavaliere at [email protected].
