This year the Board of Education has approved for a tax levy of 75 cents to go to the voters. The last time the Ray-Pec School District tax rate increased was back in 2003, that increase was 60 cents. The Superintendent, Kari Monsees provides the Board of Education information about the what schools need.

“The Board of Education is the governing body, they set all the policies and approve all the major decisions, budget, staffing. There are seven of them, they are elected by the community. Myself and my other administrators prepare information for them, so they can make good decisions,” said Monsees.

` The tax rate will be increase by 75 cents, but the ballot will not be saying that the debt tax was decreased by 30, so overall the net tax increases 45 cents. Scholarship Coordinator, Christa Fish attended a meeting that was set up by the administrators to inform their staff.

“The tax will be on our property tax. They’ll take a portion or a percentage of the property tax and that will be what they’ll tax to help pay for it,” said Fish.

The tax levy will be supporting the strategic plan that was approved back in December by the Board of Education. The plan paves the way for the district for the next five years.

“The tax levy request is to provide more resources for the school districts, to do a lot of things within our strategic plan. Such as helping the student success rate. We’ll be able to recruit and maintain the best staff we can. We also need resources to maintain our buildings,” said Monsees.

Back in April 2016, the voters voted for a property tax increase to fund a waterpark in Raymore. They are still being taxed, but the city does not plan on making this waterpark anymore. Because of this situation people in the Ray-Pec district, such as Brenda O’Dell, are wary on voting for this district tax levy.

“The tax would benefit the school, but anytime they do taxes for something they don’t always go for what you’re thinking you’re paying taxes for. I would rather, instead of increasing our taxes and trust some law giver to actually do what they said their gonna do with the money, just voluntarily give them money directly,” said O’Dell.

The Board of Education meetings are public and posted on the Ray-Pec district website, and it can be watched to see them decide on the tax and their reasonings. The voting for this school district tax increase of 75 cents will take place on the ballot of April 3rd of this year.