Harlan Independent lowers tax rate

The Harlan Independent School Board voted to lower the district’s property tax rate during a meeting on Thursday, following a trend that began three years ago with the school system.
Superintendent C.D. Morton supplied the board with relevant information concerning the district’s tax rate.
“I included in your packet reports we’ve gotten from the Department of Education regarding the tax rates,” Morris said. “We made a few increases along the way early back in 2012 through 2017, then things started to level off…we’ve been able to make some early tax investments…everybody should look around at everything that’s happened – including the athletic field and everything else that’s happened since we did that – it is a direct result of a number of things, but a contributing factor was that nickel tax that has enabled us to make the investments that we’ve made all while staying lower than our neighbors.”
According to Morton, prudent financial management has made the investments possible.
“This year, the assessments that came in for property values are high,” Morton said. “That means for us you can either keep your tax rate the same or you can lower it and bring in the same amount of money that was brought in the year before.”
Morton pointed out the district could move from 52.1 cents per $100 of assessed value down to 50.9 cents per $100 of assessed value.
“That’s a 1.2 cent reduction,” Morton said. “That’s the largest reduction we’ve had in the last 12 years. It would make the third consecutive reduction in tax rates to the taxpayers of the Harlan Independent School District.”
Morton pointed out those who live within the Harlan Independent School District would have less of a property tax bill than those outside the district.
“Each year is different, but property values across the state are going up, so in our little portion of Harlan County they went up and as a result our compensating rate would be 50.9, which is a reduction,” Morton said. “I think that’s the key. We would be voting to reduce the tax rate by 1.2 cents, the biggest tax rate reduction we’ve had in 112 years…I think that’s a testament to the district, and a gift to the community.”
Morton recommended leaving the motor vehicle tax rate unchanged at 52.3 cents per $100 of assessed value.
Following some further discussion, the board voted to place the property tax rate for real property at 50.9 cents per $100 of assessed value and the motor vehicle tax rate unchanged at 52.3 cents per $100 of assessed value.

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