Prairie du Chien School Budget

Prairie du Chien Public 

School tax rate is the same 

despite $334,264 drop in state aid

By Ted Pennekamp

The tax rate to operate the Prairie du Chien Public School District will remain the same as it was last year at $10.66 following the passage of the 2015-2016 budget. The Prairie du Chien School Board approved the budget at the annual budget meeting in the high school library conference room Tuesday evening. 

A tax rate of $10.66 means that the owner of a property valued at $100,000 will pay $1,066 in property taxes for school purposes for the 2015-2016 school year. 

“This (a tax rate of $10.66) was very difficult to accomplish because the state aid to the school dropped by $334,264,” said District Administrator Drew Johnson. Johnson said that the school board partially made the drop in state aid up by cutting the amount put into the Energy Efficiency levy by $47,984 and the Debt Service levy by $107,313. For 2014-2015, the school board approved having the school district exceed the revenue limit for energy efficiency measures at an amount of $586,974. For 2015-2016, the revenue limit for energy efficiency will be exceeded by $538,990. The contract for the energy efficiency measures will be with Cooperative Educational Service Agency 10. Johnson noted that the additional energy savings projects will be scaled back to one section of roof and the related insulation on the high school, and one other small project. Debt service was able to be cut, said Johnson, because the interest on the district’s debt is substantially less due to the reduced size of the remaining bonds which will be paid off next school year. 

“The bottom line is that even though the state aid cut was a third of $1 million, the school will only increase the overall levy amount by $176,755,” said Johnson. Last year the total school levy amount was $5,074,112 and this year it will be $5,250,867. 

Vicki Waller, the head bookkeeper, said, “The state aid drop really hurt. The anticipated all-funds revenue for this year is projected to be down by $171,806.”

The tax rates for the past 24 years are as follows:

1992–$18.55

1993–$17.49

1994–$16.74

1995–$15.42

1996–$13.31

1997–$11.66

1998–$11.73

1999–$11.21

2000–$10.19

2001–$10.62

2002–$10.43

2003–$10.41

2004–$10.46

2005–$9.96

2006–$9.88

2007–$9.88

2008–$9.88

2009–$9.88

2010–$9.88

2011–$9.88

2012–$10.66

2013–$10.66

2014–$10.66

2015–$10.66.