No District 196 Taxes Increase for Most Property Owners, Initial Reports Show

Most property owners in the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan school district shouldn’t see their school property taxes increase next year, according to preliminary information from the district.

“It’s a pretty good story to tell,” said board member Rob Duchscher.

The district’s school board on Monday unanimously adopted a $75.76 million preliminary tax levy limit, which is about $2.65 million, or 3.38 percent, less than last year’s.

That total is the maximum the state will allow; property taxes make up nearly 23 percent of the district’s annual revenue.

In addition to the levy decrease, property values in the district also decreased for the third straight year, by about $13.7 billion, or 6.44 percent; this means the district qualifies for more equalization aid from the state, said Director of Finance and Operations Jeff Solomon.

A different calculation involving properties values—Adjusted Net Tax Capacity—also went down $155.8 million, or 10.69 percent.

These factors mean there shouldn’t be a negative impact on taxpayers because of , The elimination of the credit was predicted to cause a tax increase for many, Solomon said.

“I think we’re in good shape,” Solomon said, though the results for select individual properties could differ.

During the summer, the board also elected not to put a levy referendum question on the November general election ballot, which would have asked voters to pay more taxes to fund district activities.

Property owners will receive their property tax estimates for school, city and county taxes in mid-November, and the school board is slated to certify a final levy for the district on Dec. 12. The levy amount can only stay the same or go down in that time, but it cannot go up.

Last year, the total tax levy amount didn’t change between the preliminary number in September 2010 and the final certified levy in December 2010.

Last year’s total levy decreased by $95,000 total from two years ago, and the owner of a then median-priced $238,541 home paid $46 less in taxes to the school district than two years ago.

Board member Bob Schutte was not at Monday’s meeting.