Tentative Ringgold budget calls for tax increase
By ERIC SEIVERLING
eseiverling@yourmvi.com
Ringgold school directors approved the district’s 2021-22 preliminary budget Wednesday, and the initial numbers point to a tax increase for property owners within the district.
President Bill Stein, Sherrie Garry, Jim Dodd, Harley Bobnar, Carol Flament, Jason Gerard, Larry Mauro and Maureen Ott voted yes on the budget. Gene Kennedy voted no.
According to the district’s Director of Finance Kimberly Moore, the preliminary budget represents $47,770,173 in expenditures, and that number represents more than $1 million over revenue.
To balance the budget, the district plans a tax hike of 2.5/10th of a mill.
A house in the Ringgold School District assessed at Washington County’s median value of $111,000 would pay an additional $27.83 per year in property tax due to the tentative millage hike.
Moore said the millage increase will generate an additional $696,960 for the district.
According to Moore, 67% of expenditures come from salaries and benefits, 22% from supplies and services and 11% from debt service.
She said 50% of the district’s revenue comes from state funding, 48% comes from local revenue and 2% from federal monies.
School officials pointed to upcoming contracts, construction projects such as the $5.5 million phase one renovation to the high school’s natatorium, and increased Cyber Academy expenditures as the reason for the tax hike.
“We’ll use it to offset future increases,” Superintendent Randy Skrinjorich said. “We’ll know in a few years. We have to prepare now. We’re not going to be able to pay for that at one time.”
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