HIGHER PROPERTY TAX BILLS
Property owners in Northeast Richland County will see an increase in their tax bills. The first tax bills, since voters overwhelmingly said “YES” to the $306 million bond referendum last November, will be mailed Friday, Nov. 6, 2009. Because of taxpayer support for the bond referendum, the district will build four elementary schools, one middle school and one high school as well as make additions and renovations at existing schools. The expected increase to fund the referendum was 27 mills. The actual increase set by the Richland County Auditor is 25 mills. This debt service millage applies to all categories of taxpayers.
Approval of the debt service millage is just one reason tax bills will be higher; the other reason is the operating millage. To fund the school district’s growth of over 450 students, Richland County Council approved the maximum millage increase (17 mills) which is permitted by state law. This increase does not affect homeowners as they are excluded from paying taxes for school operating purposes.
Recently, The State newspaper reported a disagreement between the County Auditor and Richland Two on the operating millage. That disagreement centered on the calculation of the millage cap allowed under Act 388. The County Auditor’s calculation set it at 244.7 mills. The district’s calculation set it at 250.3 mills. This is a difference of 5.6 mills. County Council sided with Richland Two in the dispute. An Attorney General’s opinion was sought and confirmed that the Richland County Council and Richland Two were correct in determining that council had the authority to determine the millage cap.
The dollar impact of this disagreement is two-fold. First, taxpayers would pay $33.60 more for each $100,000 of property value. (There is no impact on owner-occupied homes as those homeowners are excluded from paying taxes for school operations.) Second, the school district would lose $1.7 million this year which equates to some 30 teachers.
Richland Two is most grateful to Richland County Council for correcting the auditor’s error by voting in favor of the district’s calculation and providing us with our fair share of much needed funding. The district is equally grateful for the Attorney General’s opinion supporting County Council’s decision. The gratitude expressed to taxpayers for their support of a quality education for all students in this growing district is unparalleled.
APPROXIMATE INCREASE IN COST TO TAXPAYERS PER
$100,000 OF PROPERTY VALUE
| |
BOND REFERENDUM
(DEBT SERVICE MILLAGE)
|
SCHOOL OPERATIONS
(OPERATIONS MILLAGE)
|
| OWNER-OCCUPIED HOMES |
$100
|
0
|
| NON-OWNER OCCUPIED HOMES |
$150
|
$102
|
| BUSINESSES |
$262.50
|
$178.50
|
Posted November 5, 2009
For more information contact triley@richland2.org.