Despite growing enrollments and fears of shrinking state aid, Wauneta-Palisade School District residents will see no property tax hike this year.
    The School Board Monday approved a budget with a mill levy rate of $.975165 per $100,000 of assessed valuation and a property tax request of $3,999,820.16.
    That compares to last year’s mill levy rate of $.939229 and property tax request of $4,165,565.33.
    The total property tax request for 2018-19 is the lowest since the 2014-15 budget, when it was $4,022,575.71, Superintendent Randy Geier told the board.
    Board Treasurer Allison Sandman said later the lower numbers are a result of falling valuations.
    The lion’s share of this year’s property taxes—$3,609,480.77—will go into the general fund. Of the rest, $369,152.52 will go into the building fund and $21,186.87 will go into the Qualified Capital Purpose Undertaking Fund, which puts money aside for large capital purchases. The district has used that QCPUF fund for items like lighting and a boiler for the school in Palisade.
    Approval of the budget followed a public hearing attended by only one person, Mick Majors, who farms southwest of Wauneta.

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