Park Rapids Schools held its Truth in Taxation hearing Monday, Dec. 19 and the school board approved the 2016 payable 2017 levy at a 1.35 percent increase over last year.
Business manager Carol Hutchinson presented the information with a total levy of $5,018,028. Of the total levy, the general fund levy is $2,068,476; debt service levy is $2,751,807 and $197,745 in the community service levy.
The general fund increased 3 percent from $2,013,541 last year. Total debt increased $9,000 from $2,742,111 in 2015-16 to $2,751,806 in 2016-17.
School districts operate on a budget year of July 1 of one year through June 30 of the next year.
In 2015, the Legislature addressed facility needs of school districts with its new Long Term Facility Maintenance Revenue with equalization aid, which provides equal revenue to all districts in the state to take care of their facilities. The maintenance revenue replaced several other funding sources, including health and safety, deferred maintenance and alternative facilities funding.
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The Long Term Facilities Maintenance revenue in the general fund increased from $289,178 last year to $359,951 in 2016-17.
The general fund accounts for most daily operating expenses of the district - about 80 percent - which includes textbooks, instructional supplies, building utility costs, employee salaries and benefits.
Debt service is all costs for principal and interest payments for the district's voter-approved building bonds. Hutchinson calls this the district's "house payment."
Community services is expenses for educational and recreational programs which are not part of the regular K-12 and special education programs. These include ECFE, School Readiness, Recreational Programs and Adult Basic Continuing Education.
Additional information provided at Monday's hearing is historical data on state aid to the district. In 2004-05, state aid was $4,601 per pupil. State aid for 2016-17 is $6,067.
The board also approved on Monday the revised budget fiscal year 2016-17 with general fund revenue of $17,704,047 and general fund expenses of $18,176,694. The total of all funds are revenues of $23,404,074 and expenditures of $22,779,946.
General fund revenue for 2016-17 is $2,804,759 from local revenues; $14,040,718 from state aid; and $839,575 in federal aid.
General fund expenses include $14,022,340 for salary and fringes; $2,150,228 purchased services; $1,261,974 for supplies; and $676,856 for equipment.
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Levy history
2002 payable 2003 - $3,121,116
2003 payable 2004 - $2,659,735
2004 payable 2005 - $3,200,476
2005 payable 2006 - $3,314,847
2006 payable 2007 - $4,747,932
2007 payable 2008 - $4,402,556
2008 payable 2009 - $4,598,979
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2009 payable 2010 - $4,857,843
2010 payable 2011 - $4,807,875
2011 payable 2012 - $4,855,159
2012 payable 2013 - $5,346,336
2013 payable 2014 - $5,021,545
2014 payable 2015 - $4,799,147
2015 payable 2016 - $4,950,982
2016 payable 2017 - $5,018,028
