Glenwood Community School District Proposing Lower Tax Rate For 2025-26 Fiscal Year
The Glenwood Community School District is proposing a 7% tax rate decrease for its upcoming fiscal year.
A month before it prepares to officially unveil its 2025-2026 budget, the district has announced it is proposing a tax rate for the fiscal year beginning July 1 that will go down from $14.50 per $1,000 of taxable property valuation to $13.25, according to a “Proposed Tax Rate Q & A” press release sent out last Monday.
The district will host a hearing on the proposed tax rate on March 24 at 5:45 p.m. at the school district’s central office.
The proposed tax rate is the district’s initial estimate based on current fiscal projections and needs. The proposed tax rate is not finalized, however. The final rate could go down, but cannot go up.
State law requires local governments, including school districts, to provide their proposed tax rate ahead of public hearings to give taxpayers the chance to understand and discuss potential changes.
Glenwood Superintendent Nicole Kooiker said the “Proposed Tax Rate Q & A” was sent out now to “to promote and strengthen public trust, which is a key goal for our district.”
“By fostering clear and open communication, we can build stronger relationships with the community, enhance collaboration, and ultimately work more effectively together to achieve our shared objectives,” Kooiker went on to say by email.
The proposed tax rate announcement comes as the district is in the midst of finalizing both its plans to overhaul the 103 Central building on the campus of the former Glenwood Resource Center and its 2025-2026 fiscal budget.
The district is expected to spend slightly more than $4 million to update and remodel the 93-year-old 103 building for its modern and future needs. The financing for that project will come from its Secure an Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE) fund, a $1.4 million Child Care Business Incentive grant, and a $1 million fundraising donation from the Kids Place Childcare Champions.
Construction on the project is slated to begin as early as mid-April.
The district will hold its 2025-2026 budget adoption hearing April 14 in the central office.
The district is facing a steep budget reduction this fiscal year primarily due to a 94-student enrollment dip during the 2023-2024 school year. That drop in enrollment represents a loss of more than $730,000 in state funding.
Kooiker said she has collaborated closely with district staff to identify effective solutions for reducing expenses without compromising its quality of education for students.
“The staff has been instrumental in providing valuable feedback, input, and suggestions, which have helped us develop a sustainable plan for the future,” she said.
In addition to addressing these necessary reductions, Kooiker said she and her staff are actively gathering insurance rate information and closely monitoring the state supplemental aid allotment.
“This information allows us to have all the needed numbers for budgeting for the upcoming year,” Kooiker said. “The upcoming budget adoption hearing will allow the public to review the proposed budget and provide feedback and input.”
Kooiker said she believes the community supports and has requested clarity and visibility around all district functions. The tax rate Q & A and the hearings, are all a part of that transparency.
“I also believe our community supports our efforts to make intentional reductions in our spending while still providing the best educational services and programs for our students,” she said. “Most taxpayers will appreciate the lowered rates from the school along with the communication on ways we are intentionally working to reduce spending and remain solvent.”