Freeport, Illinois — On Tuesday, December 19, 2017, the Board of Education of Freeport School District 145 adopted its 2017 tax levy. The total adopted levy of $20,546,450 is based on keeping the tax rate even with the 2016 levy. The property tax levy provides approximately 40% of Freeport School District’s funding.
The District has statutory authority to levy up to $20,654,983, but decided to forego the additional increase in levy funding of $108,533 in an effort to prevent property tax payers’ bills from increasing. The board’s adoption of a flat tax rate will ensure that if property values stay the same or decrease, property tax bills will not increase for the Freeport School District portion of the tax bill.
The District is projecting a total District-wide property value increase of $4,574,111, up to $297,137,587. This constitutes a 1.56% increase in aggregate district property value above the 2016 property value of $292,563,476. This is the first Freeport School District EAV increase in eight years.
For more information, you may contact Dr. Patrick McDermott, FSD Asst. Supt. of Business & Finance, at 815-232-0304 or patrick.mcdermott@fsd145.org.
Here are other highlights of the previous School Board meeting.
At its regular meeting held Tuesday evening, the Freeport School District Board of Education:
● Recognized employee Gigi Ditzler and school volunteer John Walt for being honored through the ISBE Those Who Excel awards, as well as several FHS student athletes for achievements in soccer, golf, football, volleyball, swimming, and cross country.
● Reviewed a report on the results of the district’s second annual Communication Effectiveness Survey, which was conducted in October to gain feedback from parents and community members. This year’s survey results showed increased participation and increased satisfaction overall with the district’s communication efforts compared to last year’s survey.
● Approved a request from the Boys & Girls Club of Freeport & Stephenson County for the district’s continued support in the amount of $28,371 towards the club’s after school and summer programming. The request also includes funds for the creation of a new collaborative STEAM Club for middle school students.
● Approved a proposal to apply to the Illinois State Board of Education for a Physical Education Waiver for students in Show Choir and Marching Band.
● Approved several proposed new Freeport High School courses for implementation in the 2018-2019 school year. New courses include App Design, Residential Plumbing, Residential Electric, Entrepreneurship II, Advanced Art, a reinstatement of senior English choices, English 10 Speech, Sociology II, and Psychology II.
● Approved a NJROTC Unique Field Trip Request to the New York/New Jersey area and Show Choir Tour 2018, both of which will take place in March 2018.
● Adopted a 2017 tax levy of $20,546,450, based on keeping the tax rate even with the 2016 levy. The board’s adoption of this flat tax rate will ensure that if property values stay the same or decrease, property tax bills will not increase for the Freeport School District portion of the tax bill. The property tax levy provides approximately 40% of Freeport School District’s funding.
The public is always invited and encouraged to attend Freeport School District Board of Education meetings. The next scheduled regular meeting will be held Tuesday, January 16, 2018, at 6:00 PM at Freeport Middle School.
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