Fox C-6 School District voters overwhelmingly rejected a proposed tax levy increase of 92.07 cents per $100 assessed valuation today, Aug. 8, with 6,025 no votes (65.99 percent) to 3,105 yes votes (34.01 percent), according to the unofficial election results.
The ballot measure, called Proposition I (invest in our students, our school and our community), required a simple majority to pass.
Just 18.2 percent of registered Fox district voters turned out for the special election, which had just one measure on the ballot.
“I would just like to thank all of our families and community members who worked so hard on behalf of the kids of our district throughout this campaign,” Superintendent Paul Fregeau said tonight. “About 34 percent of our community supported Prop I. The other portion of our community has spoken, and we respect their voice.
“As I have said before, we wanted to give our community an opportunity to have a say in the future of this school district, and our community has spoken. We will move forward accordingly.”
The rejection of the tax levy increase means Fox’s overall tax levy will remain at $4.2617 per $100 assessed valuation. If the increase had been approved, it would have boosted the district’s operating levy, but that will remain at $3.8716 per $100 assessed valuation. The district’s debt service levy is 39.01 cents per $100 assessed valuation.
Fregeau said the tax increase would have generated up to $12 million more in revenue each year.
Because the levy did not pass and Fox is expected to receive at least $5 million less in state funding for the 2024-2025 school year, Fregeau said the district likely will have to reduce staff again after the end of the current school year, which began July 1. The district also may need to cut academic and athletic programs.
Before asking voters for the tax levy increase, Fox reduced its spending for the 2023-2024 school year by eliminating 27 teaching positions and two administrative positions through attrition to save about $2.4 million in salary and benefit costs for this school year. It also reduced the budget for all of its school buildings by a total of $250,000 and delayed spending $500,000 on new Chromebooks for this school year.
In addition, the district also is expected to increase its operating budget by $1.5 million when it asks the board to shift 15 cents from its capital improvement levy to its operating funds.
Fox has not had a tax levy increase since 2004 when voters approved an additional $1.2207 per $100 assessed valuation.