The school district tax rate for the 2012-13 fiscal year will remain unchanged following action taken last Thursday, August 30 during a combined public hearing and special meeting of the Clinton County Board of Education.

Any time in which estimated revenues from the tax rate increases from the previous year, a public hearing on the proposed rates is required.

In the notice of the hearing published recently, it noted, “The General Fund tax levied in fiscal year 2011-12 was 38.4 cents on real property and 38.4 cents on personal property and produced revenue of $1,638,565. The proposed General Fund tax rate of 38.4 cents on real property and 38.4 cents on personal property is expected to produce $1,643,547. Of this amount, $191,414 is from new personal property. The compensating rate for 2013 is 37.9 cents on real property and 37.9 cents on personal property and is expected to produce $1,622,146.51.

The general area to which revenue of $4,982 above 2012 revenue is to be allotted as follows: $4,982 is to transportation.

During the public hearing/meeting, only one citizen was on hand but no comments regarding the proposed rates were made.

The board, at its regular meeting earlier in the month, had proposed keeping the same base rate of 38.4 cents each per $100 assessed value on both real and personal property. The tax rate on motor vehicle and watercraft also went unchanged at .53 cents, as well as the three percent tax on utilities.

A motion was made by board member Paula Key to approve the rates, seconded by Kevin Marcum and passed by unanimous vote.

A survey conducted by the Green River Cooperative revealed that of among 31 school districts surveyed in their area, over half–54.8 percent of the districts–had opted to take the four percent allowed increase while 19.4 percent opted for the compensating rate (six schools) and Clinton was among only five districts that kept its current rate.

The agenda for last week’s meeting also had a discipline problem listed for a closed session. However, Superintendent Charlotte Bernard said that issue had been handled at the school level and no action on the issue was necessary by the board.

The next regular meeting of the Clinton County Board of Education is scheduled for next Monday, September 10 at 5 p.m. at the Central Office conference room and is open to the general public.