Public hearing date set for proposed 2012-13 school budget

Posted: Mon, Mar 12, 2012 9:19 PM

A public hearing date has been set for the proposed 2012-13 Decorah Community Schools budget. That meeting will be at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, April 9th, prior to the regular Decorah Community School Board meeting.

The proposed budget of just over $39 million (which can fluctuate widely from year to year, mostly due to current building projects and related bond revenues and payouts) will call for a tax rate of $16.1807 per $1,000 of assessed property. This is down roughly 53 cents from last year. This was due, in part, to an increased ceiling on the "income surtax" portion of the Instructional Support Levy. Decorah School Superintendent Mike Haluska said the change spreads the taxes out on a more equitable basis.

Also there will be a decrease in the Management Fund, largely due to the district having met some "cash settlement" commitments associated with recent early retirement programs.