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LIBERTY -- Liberty voters are in a unique position when it comes to voting on the school district's proposed five-year levy. Even if it is approved, they won't have a tax bill as high as it was in 2020.
This is possible because the 1997 bond that paid for the high school and generated $925,000 per year was paid off in 2020; and if the new 2.5-mill levy passes, an older .9-mill levy will be allowed to expire.
"That is an unusual incentive to offer taxpayers. Once that happens, the owner of a $100,000 home will save $175 in school taxes compared to what they paid in 2020. The new levy will cost the same homeowner $87.50 a year," Diana DeVito, a member of the school board, said.
DeVito said taxpayers in the district should have noticed a decrease in their property taxes since the 4.35-mill bond was paid off.
People have several misconceptions about the new levy, she said.
"Some people think the levy is permanent. It is not. It is for five years for the purpose of permanent improvements, or infrastructure items with a lifespan of five years or more," DeVito said. "It cannot be used for wage increases."
The district has a "tremendous need" for the levy to be approved, DeVito said at a recent Liberty trustee meeting.
The .9-mill levy that will expire if the new levy is passed raises $157,000 per year, which is not enough for the district's long-term maintenance needs, DeVito said. The new levy would raise about $564,018 per year to be used only on capital improvements.
Repairs are needed to keep up and protect the properties in which the district already has invested.
"Liberty has a beautiful, multimillion-dollar campus with tremendous and urgent infrastructure needs like roofs, buses, computers, plumbing, electric, security requirements, etc.," DeVito said. "It's in the community's best interest to keep our campus safe, functioning and well maintained."
The property is worth millions, but roofs are failing; like a home, it costs money for the maintenance, DeVito said. The district provided the newspaper with photos and videos of leaking roofs in school buildings.
The district anticipates the following costs for improvements: $357,000 for the high school rooftop HVAC system, $1.125 million to replace the roof on the high school, $780,000 to replace the roof on Blott Guy PK-6, $87,800 to repair and repave all parking lots, $68,200 to resurface the athletic track, $351,420 to update buses and snow removal equipment, $40,000 to improve restrooms, and $370,000 for a data server, computers and security systems update.
rfox@tribtoday.com