School board OKs Instructional Support Levy

The Fairfield school board approved another five years of the Instructional Support Levy at a special public meeting Monday.

?This is not a new tax,? said Superintendent Art Satoff.

The state first offered the Instructional Support Levy in 1993, and Fairfield was one of the original three districts in the state to take advantage of the levy 18 years ago. It started with a mix of state aid and district taxes collected locally. Last year?s Legislature withdrew the state?s portion of money.

School districts can only levy, or collect, a maximum of 10 percent of the district?s total annual budget for the Instructional Support Levy. Proceeds can only be deposited into the district?s general fund, which pays for teacher salaries and other instructional expenses.

Fairfield?s Instructional Support Levy is 4 percent income surtax and 6 percent property tax. That means Fairfield Community School District residents pay 4 percent of each year?s district budget with their state income taxes. The 6 percent is paid through property taxes collected in the school district.

Fairfield school district?s total rate of property taxation is currently $15.50 per $1,000 of property valuation; the Instructional Support Levy portion works out to about 77 cents of that $15.50, said Kim Sheets, business manager.

For this school year, Fairfield will receive $828,964 in Instructional Support Levy money.

Monday?s vote was a 6-0 approval. Board member Bob Waugh had not yet arrived. Prior to the board?s vote, a public hearing was held about the levy. No one spoke.