District Residents Approve 6.86% Decrease in Tax Levy

Greendale taxpayers on Monday approved a $14.9 million school district property tax levy for the 2012-13 school year.

Roughly 50 taxpayers voted unanimously to approve the levy, and there were no comments or questions raised during the meeting in regards to the levy. The approved levy is a 6.86 percent decrease from last year.

Breakdown of the 2012-2013 tax levy:

Homeowners can expect a school property tax of $2,354 on a $200,000 home, down $174 from last year.

Director of Business Services Erin Green made a presentation that included the following announcements:

• Total expenditures were projected at $33,254,216, a 1.03 percent increase
• State aid was projected at $11.4 million, a 16.62 percent increase.
• Enrollment projected at 2,290, down from 2,292
• The property tax rate is projected down to $11.77 from $12.64
• Revenue Cap projected up by $523,331 funded all by State Aid

New Superintendent John Tharp and staff spoke about community involvement and communication, budgeting, strategic planning Alverno partnership, healthy habits and technology.

Green said that the challenge for schools will be the increase competition for great staff and ability to remain competitive with pay and benefits given the budget constraints.

Here's a look at the tax levy picture in districts in other Patch communities:

• The Muskego-Norway School District approved a zero-dollar increase to its levy
• The tax rate in the Waukesha School District increased slightly as compared to last year
• The tax levy is expected to increase 4.56 percent in Wauwatosa
• Whitefish Bay residents recently approved a 3.7 percent increase to their levy
• Greenfield's school tax levy remained largely unchanged
• Menomonee Falls had 0.5 percent decrease in the tax levy