The Park Rapids School Board set the district’s preliminary 2027 property tax levy at maximum.
Business Manager Kent Fritze told the school board on Monday, Sept. 21 that the actual amount of this maximum levy allowed by state law is still fluctuating and will be influenced by whether the district’s operating levy referendum passes on Nov. 3.
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However, a levy summary from the Minnesota Department of Education pegged the district’s maximum general fund levy at $2,261,176, with a community services levy of $27,130 and a debt service levy of $4,508,445 – a total levy of about $7,039,751.
Compared to the 2026 levy, Fritze said, “Currently, we have a projected reduction of about 8.3%, mostly due to long-term facility maintenance because we have a new school, so that will reduce some funding there.”
Also, Fritze said, the schools will receive compensatory revenue from the state. According to the
Minnesota Rural Education Association
, compensatory revenue is awarded to school sites based on their percentage of students qualifying for free and reduced-price meals, and it must be used for services to help bring their academic progress up to grade-level standards.
School board ...