Levy override vote coming soon to Millard schools

Alexa Leiting InDepth Editor

Every five years, the Millard Board of Education takes a vote that decides whether or not they will ask the community to consider a continuation of the levy override. In 2023, the board has decided to ask our community to make a decision on the continuation on March 14.

The levy override is a voter approved property tax used to stabilize funding staff and programs throughout the district as state aid has declined. In 2017, the Millard community approved a levy override for up to 9 cents despite the school district never using more than 4.07 cents of this tax.

However, the levy override is not the same as a bond, which would pay for renovation of our buildings. According to officials in the district, the preservation of this tax would provide an insurance of sorts in an uncertain economic future.

Below Bellevue, Millard has the second lowest levy in the Metro area. Per student the cost of Millard’s tax comes up to $11,053. The average of Metro schools is $12,933 and the statewide average is $14,495. The election will be conducted by mail. Ballots must be in the Election Commissioner’s Office by 5 p.m. on March 14.

To help push the district’s cause, Millard Citizens for Continued Excellence is a community-formed group that encourages people to vote in favor for the levy override. Community parent, Jen DeLay is a supporting member of this group.

Through an email interview, DeLay explained why she feels as though the tax is crucial.

“Levy override dollars pay for people and programs--which is super helpful as 80 percent of our MPS budget is our staff,” she said. “The levy is not a new tax. It has been doing good work for MPS for the last five years to breathe stability into our budgeting process,” she said.

“The vote is a re-authorization for our school board to continue using the levy override as a tool for the next five years into the future,” DeLay said.

Graphic by Anna Gurciullo