(Milford)– Some Dickinson county school superintendents are concerned over a bill passed in the last session of the legislature that will make the School Infrastructure Local Option, or SILO tax, uniform statewide.
The bill was intended to help school districts that are property tax poor. But in Dickinson county, several school districts are property tax rich. They would see reductions compared to what they currently get under the local SILO tax.
For instance, Okoboji Superintendent Bob Miller says currently Dickinson county schools receive 1,160-dollars per student with the local SILO. Once the uniform statewide SILO goes in effect in 2011, the per pupil funding will drop to 750-dollars per student in the county. With about 850 students in the Okoboji district, Miller says that would result in a net loss of about 350-thousand dollars a year. He says that will affect the district’s ability to work on infrastructure, technology and other items not included in the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy.
As a result, Miller says the Okoboji School District and others will have to be even more conscious of needs and be even more cautious when it comes to long-term planning.
