Decorah School Board approves 2013-14 budget

After hearing no comment at the public hearing, the Decorah Community School Board passed a budget of $32,943,093 for the 2013-14 school year. This is based on a 4 percent allowable growth rate, but the legislature has yet to determine school funding so lower, alternative, budgets remain a possibility.

The current budget reflects a decrease in residential property tax rates of $.28 per $1,000 of taxable valuation, down to $15.89.  For a $200,000 home that equates to a reduction of about $27. Similar reductions occur for agricultural and business properties. Those rates could go lower if allowable growth is set lower by the legislature.  The decreased rate is related to an increase in taxable valuations of almost $19 million for the district, as well as low bond rates on the recent high school renovation financing.