KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Share your story idea with Ryan.
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Rural Paola, Kansas, residents within USD 368 are gathering signatures to petition a school levy.
"The problem I have with the verbiage is that it says cost of living. I don’t know what that means," Kristie Chavez, a Paola resident, said.
The Paola School Board passed a resolution, 6-1, for the option to initiate a Cost of Living Authority (COLA) tax levy in March.
Kansas law permits a qualifying school board to levy a tax on the tangible property within the school district.
"In this area, a lot school districts do qualify because we are close to a metro area," Jimmy Hay, director of finance for the Paola School District, explained. "The appraised values of homes in the area have been increasing for many, many years. It's a little more common in Johnson County. Every school district in Johnson County is eligible, and they do levy the cost of living. In Miami County, there are only two school districts that are eligible, Paola and Louisburg."
Hay added that Paola has never levied COLA, and this is the first time action has been taken.
"Louisburg School District has levied it for three years," he said.
The Paola School District has the option to implement this local taxpayer-paid and funded for levy anytime within the next year.
The fiscal impact it could bring is a total potential funding of $682,568.
"This is cash money that would fund the district budget that could be used for operational things or facility-type things," Hay said. "The irony is, as your assessed value goes up, your relative wealth to the rest of the state increases. In the state’s eyes, your district is wealthier, meaning more money is generated locally. You lose state aid every year. We have been losing state aid because of our relative wealth to the state.”
Hay told KSHB 41 it's a change from state funding and the burden is shifted locally.
Residents and members of a local Facebook group called Miami County KS Property Tax Appeal have filed a petition and are gathering signatures to put this COLA levy on a ballot.
"I think our taxes in the county have gone up substantially in the last four or five years. I know we’re feeling it," Courtney Crawford told KSHB 41. "I’m a family of three kids and a husband. My husband works, and I stay home and take care of the kids. We’re being stretched thin.”
According to Hay, this COLA levy would not raise taxes for residents in the district. It creates no-interest cash flow for the school budget.
Residents aren't buying it, as the levy can fluctuate in rates depending on the cost of homes in the area year-to-year.
The Paola School District would still have to qualify for COLA the next year.
Robert Chavez is an admin on the Miami County KS Property Tax Appeal Facebook page. He says this petition isn't about taxes, but more about encouraging voting.
"My goal in the end is to have at least the majority of the registered voters to at least participate," he explained. "We need to get people more informed about getting out to vote and knowing that their vote counts for something.”
Not all petition signors are against funding the local school.
Stan Heth lives near Hillsdale and sign his name on the petition so he can share his voice on Election Day.
"We’ve got a county that’s got like 33,000 people in it... Get out and sign the petition to get it on the ballot. And then vote, one way or another," Heth said. "I want the school to be taken care of. What I would like to see the school district put out is a plan for what they need the money for."
Hay says the money could support district operations or facilities.
Residents who gathered signatures told KSHB 41 they have an April 15th deadline to gather 500 signatures.
The group will be outside the Miami County Administration building on Saturday, April 12, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to take signatures.
"I think the people should decide if our taxes are going to go up or be levied," Crawford added. "It shouldn’t just be a school board decision."
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