September 13, 2016 at 6:00 PM - Board of Education ESU 18 Regular Meeting

The Governing Body of Educational Service Unit Number 18 is conducting this hearing pursuant to Section 77-1601.02 and other Nebraska laws. These laws provide that the property tax request for the Educational Service Unit for 2016-2017 shall be the property tax request from the prior year, unless the Unit holds a hearing and modifies the property tax request.  The prior year’s property tax request would not correctly fund the 2016-2017 budget which has already been formally adopted by this Educational Service Unit.  The testimony received in this hearing will be taken into consideration by the Governing Body when we take action to approve or modify the preliminary property tax request prior to October 14, 2016.       

A hearing was held earlier this evening on whether the governing body should approve or modify the preliminary property tax request for Educational Service Unit No. 18 (Attachment One).

Explanation
The 2016-17 budget of Educational Service Unit No. 18 has already been adopted.  According to state law Section 77-1601.02, the preliminary tax request for the unit shall be the property tax request from the prior year, unless the governing body holds a hearing and sets the property tax request at a different amount.  The prior year’s property tax request would not correctly fund the 2016-17 budget which has already been formally adopted by the Board of Educational Service Unit No. 18.  Attachment Two reflects last year’s property tax rate, this year’s initial estimate, and the final property tax rate for 2016-17.

Staff recommends that the following resolution be adopted so that the 2016-17 budget may be funded as adopted.  A simple majority vote is required.

Proposal
That the Board discuss the following proposal:

THEREFORE Be it resolved that the Board of Educational Service Unit No. 18 hereby sets the unit’s 2016-17 property tax request at a different amount from that of the 2015-16 fiscal year and that, pursuant to State Law Section 77-1601.02 and other Nebraska laws, does hereby set the 2016-17 Educational Service Unit No. 18 property tax request, including the county’s collection fee and any delinquent tax allowances, at $2,919,271.68; and

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if updated valuation, budget, or other pertinent information is subsequently received by Educational Service Unit No. 18 or by Lancaster County, the unit, its administration, and the County shall adjust the property tax request to reflect the updated information pursuant to State Law Sections 77-1601 and other Nebraska laws.