MRH board votes to place Proposition Y on ballot

By
Doug Miner
-
32
115
via Maplewood Richmond Heights Facebook

The Maplewood Richmond Heights Board of Education voted on Dec. 11 to place Proposition Y on the April 5 ballot, asking voters to approve an additional $.55 per $100 of assessed valuation of property. 

In an announcement on the school website, the board states that the 2015-16 budget froze staff salaries, eliminated positions and deferred maintenance projects; but the student population is still outpacing resources.

The announcement from the board:

Over the past decade our community has come together to create and implement strategic goals for our district. Parents, teachers, administrators, alumni, and residents have made the commitment to provide our children the best education available through small class sizes, personalized and differentiated instruction, and wrap-around services to ensure every student succeeds academically and personally. Together, we have created a dynamic, innovative, and successful district for our students. MRH is now a shining example of what can be accomplished when a community comes together to do what is best for its children.

This fall, MRH earned a 98.2% Annual Performance Report (APR) score from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. This score, based on academic achievement, standardized tests, college and career readiness, and other factors, is the highest the District has ever received. Our success, known throughout the region and beyond, attracts more families each year to be part of the MRH experience.

In just over 10 years, enrollment (Pre-K-12) has increased 37.8% and continues to grow. This growth is the key factor that drives the District’s operating budget needs, as student enrollment has a direct impact on staffing and expenses. To meet the needs of this growth we have closely monitored our budget by reducing expenditures in all areas for the past three years. In the 2015-16 budget, we have frozen salaries for all staff, eliminated positions, and deferred much-needed maintenance projects. While these efforts have helped, we are still faced with a student population that is outpacing our resources.

To preserve our level of academic excellence, maintain small class sizes, retain our highly qualified teachers, and fulfill the goals set by our community, the Board has voted to place Proposition Y, an operating tax levy, on the April 5, 2016 ballot. Proposition Y calls for an additional $.55 per $100 of assessed valuation of property.  Of the $.55, $.10 will be dedicated to capital improvements and the remaining $.45 to general operating expenses. The enclosed handout provides more information.

Without the passage of Proposition Y, we will be faced with many difficult decisions regarding the future of MRH, and the immense progress we have achieved together will be at risk. Proposition Y will provide the necessary resources to ensure the academic success of our students, fulfill the goals set by our community, and maintain the District’s financial stability.

We encourage all MRH families to make informed choices at the ballot box on April 5.

Sincerely yours,

Nelson Mitten, President
Katie Kaufmann, Vice President
Wesley Robb, Treasurer
Maria Langston, Secretary
Rev. Ralph Posley
Francis Chmelir
Ray Crader

See also: Voters approve Proposition K for a new MRH preschool

32 COMMENTS

  1. MRH voters have proven to support the school district and the leadership of the school board and the leadership of superintendent Karen Hall. A YES vote on Proposition K, will be the best return on investment tax payers receive for supporting the school district. Senior citizens in our community are a concern and the following information should help those in need:

    http://dor.mo.gov/personal/ptc/

    http://dor.mo.gov/pdf/proptax.pdf

    • Why is that the seniors should have to ask for help to pay their property taxes when the big businesses and apartment complexes and car dealerships get tax breaks its not fair.

        • I am not saying to turn a blind eye to the seniors, but the average age in Maplewood is mid 30s ie families. We need to have the future taken care as they will be the ones taking care of the seniors.

          • I am just saying where is the school board when it comes to tif s are they going to the council meeting to say that money belongs to the school or is it just easier to just put it on the ballot?

          • If we continue to increase property taxes, the seniors will be taxed out of their homes, and there will be no seniors to take care of. We should be taking care of our seniors now. They were once us, and before you know it we will be them. Now they are being taxed out of the homes they worked hard to pay for. My mom’s taxes were 1/3 of her yearly income. That is not counting insurance and upkeep. Yes we should look at the mean, but don’t forget those who are not in the middle of the bell curve. There should be caps on senior taxes once they are past a certain age, so they can live out their lives in our neighborhoods, they are our heritage.

  2. Successful School districts need support and responsible leaders and MRH has both. Tax payers have witnessed the best return on their investment is supporting the district and passing needed operating levys.

  3. DON’T FORGET – Our school district, like all others, can ONLY rely on our Property Tax for money. Unlike city hall, who can levee “sales taxes”, “permit fees”, “traffic tickets”, etc. In fact, you should be asking your Maplewood Mayor and Council why they only lowered our property taxes by a “pennies” over the past few years? Was it so they could say at reelection time they lowered our taxes? I’m not fooled by the Mayor and Council. The school districts of Missouri did not make the rules on how they raise money – they just need to work with what they have and what us as voters will let them have. For my money, our school board has been doing a great job leading our district. We can put our students up against any other district in St. Louis County. The new Maplewood Mayor and Council should make an attempt to “really” lower our taxes so our schools can thrive more.

  5. I am a fiscal conservative, our children attend private catholic high school, I am against bureaucratic waste and big gov’t, taxes are too high in general. But if everything is as it seems from what I read above from the school board, I am 100% for this increase. We moved to Maplewood in 1998. The improvement of the school district since that time has been nothing short of awesome. Starting with Henke, the transformation started and hasn’t stopped. We have voted for every increase re MRH b/c we have seen direct benefits of increased property values and a better place to live, and b/c every increase has been for very specific reasons (in this case teacher salaries).

    MRH is becoming one of the most attractive districts in the region, for many reasons. I have personally had a conversation with a high level admin person in one of the best districts in the state (out in West County). He/She said that if the opportunity opened up for Superintendent of MRH, he/she would be all over it…..referred to it as his/her “dream job”. For those of you who have been around a while, can you imagine this 15 years ago?? Amazing.

    Admin/Teachers/School Board….keep up the good work and you will have my vote.

    • I respect this person for his/her comment. It is good to hear from someone who looks at the big picture and the benefits to the entire community, not only his/her personal relationship to an MRH school.

  6. I love Maplewood, and in principal I believe the Board’s argument is a strong one, and I believe in our schools. I pay over $3k/yr in property taxes. But we recently passed a tax increase for the new fire house, and then another one a few months later for the new preschool. When does the parade of tax increases end? I think that’s a reasonable question to ask of our leaders. The lack of central tax planning and the trend of tax increases could have adverse long-term effects that I’m afraid are not fully appreciated. My family moved to Maplewood partly because it’s one of the last few affordable, inner-ring suburbs in the area. My property taxes and health insurance costs are two of my biggest expenses, and they are rising faster than my income. At what point are we priced out because the taxes are too high? I really don’t want to move to South County.

  7. To all the people who think taxes are too high in Maplewood I respectfully ask you to put your house up for sale and move to another community. If you have lived here for awhile I would like to know how much money you made by selling your house. You should then write a letter to the school board thanking them for your increased home value and allowing you to make so much money by cashing out.

    These arguments are misleading the readers. While Maplewood might have a high tax rate the home values in this community are no where near those in some our our neighboring communities. A schools budget isn’t made up of tax rates….it’s made up of money. Therefore, it doesn’t matter if Maplewood has the highest tax rate in all of STL.

    Get educated people! Like Joe S. stated above this proposal is going to cost each homeowner that has an “average” home about $12 a month on their real property taxes and a little more based on the personal property that they own. This seems like a small price to pay in order to protect what seems to be valued so much in Maplewood.

    • That’s your answer? “Move away?”
      If that’s how things are going to go I have a feeling this is going to be an interesting election.

      • My answer was clearly stated above. I will always vote in favor of progression whether it has to do with education or not. To vote no on this means that you are in favor of regressing backwards. Unless you have been under a rock the past ten years Maplewood (including their school district) has turned into a destination community. I will always vote in favor of keeping our city that way. If you don’t want to progress with us then move.

        • It’s wonderful that here in Maplewood we have such a diversity of thought and people. This is what I love most about Maplewood: the “flavor” that is here. I hope we can debate in a calm manner. Joe H. makes a good point about “progression” in Maplewood. There is also another side. There are a number of people living in Maplewood on limited fixed incomes. Should they be ‘forced out’ of Maplewood due to high real estate taxes they cannot pay? There is a real estate tax credit program available to both renters and home owners which can help some. Is there some other Maplewood program which could be initiated to help others? I have lived in Maplewood only for 15 or 16 years, and have seen huge changes. Many have been very very good. One thing which concerns me is that some of those who have less money than some of the others have been ‘forced’ to move elsewhere already. As prices on food and housing increase, and taxes go up, more will need to find a different location. I hope to keep the wonderful diversity in Maplewood which includes those with much, those with little, people of various nationalities, race, religion, lifestyle, family size, young and old people. I think the debate is this: What can we do to keep the best of Maplewood and continue moving forward? It’s difficult, but not impossible, for, yes, we have become a very progressive community and can come up with additional solutions.

    • You’re response to tell people to move is is just asinine. Trying to mislead readers that their home value MIGHT have increased just because of the school district is just as asinine. There is a lot more that goes into the value of a house. In the past 10 years my home value has actually gone down over $29,000. I am not the only home owner in Maplewood who’s value has went down.

      I believe home prices in our surrounding neighborhoods (other the St Louis, City) or equal to or higher then ours. (This comes from postings here on 40 South of home sells.)

      “A schools budget isn’t made up of tax rates….it’s made up of money.” I agree with part of this statement of yours, but the amount of money they get is determined by the TAX RATES.

      FACT: The Tax Rate for the Maplewood School District account for OVER 50% of Maplewood HOME OWNERS and OVER 50% of ANY Maplewood Resident that has ANY Taxable Personal Property.

      Another FACT: If you add up your TAXES for the Maplewood School District, Maplewood Library, and the Special School District, they will total up to about 75% of your TOTAL tax bills.

  8. My total Personal Property Taxes are $375.77, of that $211.15 was for the Maplewood Schools. I don’t have the breakdown for my Real Estate Taxes, but of the $1488 owed I figure over $800 goes to the Maplewood School District.

    As you can see Maplewood School Tax % accounts for over 50% of Our TOTAL Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes School – Maplewood Tax Rates Res. 5.5869 Com. 5.2036 Arg. 0.0000 Per. 6.2658 Man. 6.2658 Total Tax Rate % Res. 8.9096 Com. 8.5823 Arg. 2.4247 Per. 9.6405 Man. 9.0315
    Res.= Residential Com = Commercial Agr.= Agricultural Per. = Personal Property Man. = Manufacturing.

    Maplewood has the 7th highest School District Taxes on Real Estate, and the 4th highest Personal Property Taxes.
    MAPLEWOOD-RICHMOND HTS. SCHOOL DIST. Res. 5.5869 Per. 6.2658
    JENNINGS SCHOOL DISTRICT Res. 6.5400 Per. 5.7934
    NORMANDY SCHOOL DISTRICT Res. 6.2686 Per. 6.2686
    RIVERVIEW GARDENS SCHOOL DISTRICT Res. 5.6200 Per. 5.3877
    VALLEY PARK SCHOOL DISTRICT Res.5.5910 Per. 5.5910
    WEBSTER GROVES SCHOOL DISTRICT Res. 5.8584 Per. 6.4799
    HAZELWOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT Res. 6.2204 Per. 6.3450

    • What does the real estate tax have to do with this? My understanding is that this is just a personal property addition. I will point out that as far as schools go, we have a pretty good one because we have invested in them. I will be supporting this as long as the spend is justifiable.

      • They are asking voters to approve an additional $.55 per $100 of assessed valuation of property.

        This is Real Estate (property) and Personal Property.

  9. A home appraised at $135K would be assessed around $25K (19% of the appraised value). Since this tax is on the assessed value, that will cost the owner close to $140 more in taxes a year or roughly $12 a month. For perspective, Proposition K (money towards another building for MRH) that was approved earlier this year resulted in an increase of $0.15 per $100 of assessed valuation. You can find your home’s assessed value at the county website: http://revenue.stlouisco.com/IAS/

  10. Our school tax rate is already high with the passage of the bond issue for the new ECC building. Senior citizens will be extremely affected with no income increases. That would mean that a senior family that is paying $3000. in real estate tax now, puts out $250.00 each month for this tax alone taxes alone. They just can’t afford this tax.

    • I agree that this will be an impact on the senior citizens. With that said, the average age of Maplewood is in the mid 30’s. I am not sure as to what the average age for home ownership is, but I do know that the average has continually decreased as Maplewood brings in more families into the area. As the number of families increase, we as a community need to be providing outstanding education for what will eventually be our future.

      However, this article does not address numerous questions:

      1). Prop K was recently passed and as I understand was for the development of the pre-school. Was the tax increase there permanent or does it have an expiration?
      2) With the increase, it looks like our cost per $100 dollars will be about $1.90. How does that compare to the other area public schools?
      4) Will Prop Y be permanent or will it have an expiration?
      5) One of the big items the article emphasized was that teacher and staff salaries were frozen. How does our compensation for school employees compare to comparable districts?
      6) Will Richmond Heights also be voting on this tax or is this strictly a Maplewood Tax?
      7) What kind of improvements is the school board planning?

      These are questions that should and will be asked of the school board.

      • Nick – A lot of info is available at the School website URL above. Specifically interesting is where the district stands in comparison regionally to salaries.

        Salaries and benefits typically account for approximately 80% of MRH’s operating budget. MRH teachers typically fall in the median while administrators fall in the lower half when compared to other St. Louis area districts. Here are some examples from St. Louis area comparability data:

        Teacher (Baccalaureate degree/Step 1): MRH ranks 13/33
        Teacher (Masters degree/Step 1): MRH ranks 14/33
        Teacher (Doctoral degree/Step 1): MRH ranks 17/33
        Assistant Superintendent: MRH ranks 21/33
        Superintendent: MRH ranks 23/33

        • Ian, the problem with the info provided on the site is that half of it is the same as last year’s argument for a new building. It was overly simplistic and one-sided then and still is now. The Board of Ed. happily tells you teachers are paid toward the median but doesn’t acknowledge that residents pay taxes above the median. The Board also is happy to show the large increase in pre-K students and uses it as a need to ask citizens for more money but fails to mention the cost of pre-K at MRH compared to nearby districts (I believe MRH is cheaper). All I want is fair info that allows me to make an informed decision instead of this doom and gloom ultimatum.

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