Ozark schools place two funding questions on April ballot, neither raises property taxes

The Ozark school district will place two funding questions on the April ballot. If approved, they will not require property owners to pay more.

The first proposal is a $19 million bond issue to construct storm shelters in the final three Ozark school buildings lacking one.

The second request is for a tax levy transfer, which would allow the district to use more of the funds it generates from property taxes — an estimated $500,000 each year — for operating expenses and less for paying off debt.

Superintendent Chris Bauman said Monday in a news release that safety continues to be a top priority for the district and for families.

“The two questions on the ballot will not only address safety but help us accommodate our continued growth," he said.

For months, the district has studied its needs, demographic reports and feedback from the community as part of a long-range planning committee.

Ozark has become one of the fastest growing districts in Missouri, ranked No. 13 out of 518 districts in the state for the number of students added in the past five years.

The district in Christian County grew to 5,947 students this fall, up 230 kids — 4 percent — from the prior year.

The demographic report released in September 2021 showed the district is expected to add 200 students a year.

More: Ozark school district braces for wave of new students — if homebuilders can keep up

Board president Tom Bass described the community involvement in the process as both "enthusiastic and comprehensive."

“The community has supported the need for continuing safety measures, and we have also taken into consideration increased growth within the district," said Bass, in the news release.

"In this plan, we address safety as well as future growth for the community and the school district. All of this will be accomplished without asking our community for a tax increase.”

The April 5 bond issue is called a "no tax increase" bond because the measure will not raise residents' property taxes but will extend the district's debt.

If approved, the $19 million generated will add storm shelters at Ozark Middle School, Ozark High School, and the Tiger Paw Early Childhood Center.

At the middle school, the square footage gained by the shelter will add classroom space in a building running out of room. At the high school, the storm shelter will be a physical education and practice space.

The storm shelter at Tiger Paw will include a commercial kitchen and cafeteria, which it lacks. Currently, meals are delivered from East Elementary and they are eaten in the gymnasium.

The tax levy transfer on the ballot is slightly more complicated.

The Ozark district's total tax levy is $4.14 per $100 of assessed valuation and currently the bulk of it goes to operating funds, which cover costs including classroom supplies, overhead expenses such as electricity, and teacher salaries.

Last year, the state's Hancock Amendment — which caps how much taxpayer income can be used to fund state government — required the district to redirect 17 cents of its tax levy from the general operating fund to the debt service fund.

The move, prompted by an increase in real estate assessment values, was required to comply with the state cap.

The district wants to transfer 10 cents of the 17-cent transfer from the debt service fund — which is highly restrictive — back to the operating fund, where the funds it generates can be used to cover daily expenses.

“This transfer must be approved by the voters and will provide the district approximately $500,000 annually to help offset rising operating costs,” Bauman said.

Claudette Riley is the education reporter for the News-Leader. Email news tips to criley@news-leader.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Ozark school district places two funding questions on April ballot