Ash Grove Board of Ed. approves new tax levy following hearing

Following a short hearing and presentation on a newly proposed tax rate by Superintendent Dr. Aaron Gerla, the Ash Grove Board of Education voted 7-0 in favor of adopting the new rate at the board's Aug. 22 meeting at Bois D'Arc Elementary School.
Thanks to an 8.7 percent increase ($6,223,974) in assessed valuation in the district—mostly from a large jump in personal property tax— between 2021 and 2022, Gerla proposed an overall tax levy of $3.6488. That number is made up of the operating levy of $2.9510 and a debt service levy of $.6978. The increase over the 2021 amount is minuscule, a scant $0.0162.
During the meeting, the board also voted for an early payoff in March 2023, in the amount of $60,000, and another early payoff in 2024 in the amount of $240,000. Combined, the payoffs will save the district some $90,000 overall.

Attendance holds steady
Also during the hearing, Gerla presented the board with the average daily attendance numbers for the district. They follow:
2010-11    762.97
2011-12    748.56
2012-13    716
2013-14    676.96
2014-15    675.96
2015-16    655.80
2016-17    677.48
2017-18    677.50
2018-19    666.94
2019-20    698.31
2020-21    678.69
2021-22    678.78