Eden Valley Watkins School District Secures Overwhelming Support for Property Tax Increase to Boost Educational Initiatives

(KNSI) – Voters in the Eden Valley Watkins School District overwhelmingly approved a property tax increase to help fund various initiatives.

The question asked if the current referendum revenue authorization of $82.75 per pupil should be revoked and replaced with a new authorization of $460 per pupil, subject to an annual increase at the inflation rate. The measure was approved by a margin of 66.64% of voters versus 33.36% who said no. Voting yes meant they were voting in favor of a property tax increase.

The increase will be phased in over the next two years and applicable for ten years. The estimated tax impact on most properties ranges from $119 to $171 a year, roughly $10 to $14 a month.

The last time an operating referendum was passed was in 1994, and it has stayed the same since.

The money will go toward classroom resources, teachers, support staff, technology, utilities, transportation and other educational needs. District officials say current state funding was not enough, and they needed the increased funding to maintain current operations, and without it, they would be forced to make cuts.

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