Property tax rates will be increasing slightly for Washington Community School District residents as they anticipate other projects for the next few years.

The board approved the fiscal year 2022 budget at their most recent meeting, which includes a property tax rate of about $16.13 per $1,000 of taxable valuation, compared to $15.98 last year. Superintendent Willie Stone explained they are raising this tax to prepay off one of the district’s loans, and build up their management fund so they can offer a larger early retirement package in 2023 that the board has discussed for a few years, “We’ve got money set aside that we can just pay that off. We don’t have to keep taxing for that, so it’ll allow us the flexibility with our tax rate to be able to maintain our taxes where we need them to be especially as we bond. Depending on what one we pick we will be able to bond without raising our taxes at all which is amazing.”

Stone refers to a general obligation bond referendum vote that the district anticipates having this September for a middle school project. The board also approved next year’s school calendar, which includes a three-day spring break from March 14-16, 176 student days and 193 staff days.