$200 per Pupil Unit Falls Short Considering Inflation
- Trinity Gruenberg
- 28 minutes ago
- 1 min read
by Trinity Gruenberg
The Verndale School Board held their regular meeting on Monday, December 1.
Truth in Taxation
The meeting began with the Truth in Taxation hearing.
Jordan Anderson, business manager, addressed the levy for payable 2026. He reported a 2.74% increase in the general education formula last year—about $200 per pupil unit—but noted this was still $1,420 (19%) short of what would have matched inflation since 2000.
The proposed property tax levy was initially increased by $207,035—a 28.6% hike—but later reduced by $98,327, resulting in a final proposed increase of 15.02%, or a certified levy recommendation of $832,000 (up from $723,000 the previous year).
Changes in student enrollment projections contributed to a $29,000 increase in the levy, and the local optional revenue (LOR) per pupil was recommended to increase from $525 to $555. Superintendent Jeannie Mayer noted that although few Minnesota districts refrain from taking the full $724 per pupil, Verndale consistently opts not to levy the maximum...
