School tax rate falls, levy is flat

While tax bills may differ depending on what municipality in which people reside in the Cedar Grove-Belgium School District, this year’s tax rate per $1,000 of equalized value has fallen.

The School Board on Tuesday approved the 2019-2020 budget and certified a flat levy of $5,600,825. That is 0.18% lower than last year’s $5.365 million.

The tax rate is $9.03 of $1,000 of equalized value, down 41 cents from last year. That means the owner of a $175,000 home will pay $1,580.25, down  $71.75 from last year.

The levy includes nearly $183,000 for the Wisconsin Parental Choice Program, which provides tuition vouchers for students to attend private schools paid for by taxpayers.

That is up from last year’s $109,000.

“That’s a significant increase,” Director of Business Services Kris DeBruine said, adding the cost was flat from 2017-18’s $111,000 to last year.

DeBruine said she would like to see eligibility changed in the voucher program. Unlike other programs such as free and reduced lunch, vouchers don’t require annual applications.

“Once you apply, you’re in forever,” she said.

She and other business managers shared  their concerns with legislators at a recent meeting.

“Their response was ‘You better get used to vouchers because they’re not going away.’ That wasn’t the point at all. The point was if other programs have annual certifications, why shouldn’t vouchers. That’s a fair question,” she said.

State aid declined by about $5,000 from what DeBruine had budgeted — $30,000 less than last year for a total of $5.9 million — but per-pupil aid rose by nearly $75,000 to $751,646.

The board initially approved the budget at its Committee of the Whole meeting on Oct. 23, but the budget wasn’t listed as an action item and the board was meeting in committee format, which only gives recommendations.