The Rock Island School Board will have to act quickly to make good on its promise to reduce property taxes now that voters have approved a sales tax hike. Tomorrow, the board of education will discuss how to spend the new revenue.
On election day, Rock Island County voters finally said, "Yes" to a one percent sales tax for school facilities.
Rock Island Superintendent, Mike Oberhaus, says board members will use a two-year-old citizen study as a guide. And most of the work will involve deferred maintenance, such as new roofs and mechanical systems. Ridgewood and Jefferson elementaries, plus Edison and Washington junior high schools need new security entrances.
The new sales tax is expected to raise $11 million per year. That will be divided among all the school districts in Rock Island County. Oberhaus says Rock Island schools will receive an estimated $3.6 million per year. "Board members have been having conversations about the impact of the new revenue on the property tax levy moving forward."
To reduce the property tax levy and lower next year's bills, the superintendent says the Rock Island School Board would have to take action at its next meeting.
Tomorrow's work session about the School Facilities Sales Tax will begin at 4 pm at the administrative center.