The Park Hill School District is asking voters to approve two separate tax increases that will allow it to pay teachers more and improve school buildings.
If approved by the majority of voters, Proposition G would raise the operating property tax rate, which the district says would support improved staff salaries and benefits.
Proposition O is a bond measure that would allow Park Hill to borrow $128 million for building projects and gradually pay the loan back using property taxes. To pass, it requires approval from four-sevenths of voters, about 57.1%.
Park Hill spokesperson Kelly Wachel said the district built several new schools as part of its last 10-year plan, but recent community feedback has been about the district’s older buildings.
“We’re no longer a growing-quickly district. Our enrollment has really flattened out,” she said. “So we wanted to turn the next 10-year focus to replacing and renovating aging facilities.”
Proposition O would launch that plan, including the first phase of replacing Park Hill High School, additions to several elementary schools and security improvements throughout the district.
Both propositions would increase property taxes. If both pass it would add $228 per year to the bill of someone with a home valued at $300,000.
“Our facilities and our staff represent well over a billion — with a B — dollars investment in our community,” Wachel said. “We just want to ensure that we protect that investment with these ballot propositions to ensure that we can continue high quality pay and high quality facilities.”
Here’s what you need to know about the choices on your ballot this April.
What would Proposition G do?
A yes vote on Proposition G means the operating tax rate would go up by 10 cents per $100 in assessed value. The district says that would be the first increase since voters approved a new rate in 2002.
The extra funds, about $6 million annually, would go toward higher pay. Park Hill wants to have one of the top five beginning teacher salaries among peer districts in the Kansas City area. That would require it to be more than $45,500, Wachel said.
Currently, the district says it ranks 12th in starting salary among 17 local peer districts in Kansas and Missouri. Fellow Northland districts North Kansas City, Platte County R-3 and Liberty rank fifth through seventh.
Among 14 nearby Missouri districts that use the same retirement system — the main competition for retaining teachers — Wachel said Park Hill wants to pay one of the top three average salaries, more than $68,000.
Within that group, Park Hill ranks eighth, several spots below Liberty and just above North Kansas City and Platte County R-3.
Approving the measure would be a step toward the district’s goal of recruiting and retaining quality staff.
What would Proposition O do?
Proposition O authorizes Park Hill to raise the debt service levy by 30 cents per $100 in assessed valuation so it can issue bonds — a common way school districts raise money for major building projects.
The district would borrow $128 million and use increased property taxes to pay the money back.
Projects include the first phase of a plan to replace Park Hill High School, including relocating a baseball field to make room to eventually construct a new building on the original site.
It also includes improving athletic facilities at Park Hill South High School and building additions to Chinn, Line Creek and Southeast elementary schools.
Wachel said those are the district’s oldest elementary schools, and they could benefit from additional space for classrooms, special programs and common areas.
Other projects include:
- Security improvements around the district.
- Buying land for future building projects.
- Other improvements if leftover funding remains.
The bond proposal is part of a longer-term plan that could require several bond issues over the next decade, Wachel said. Ultimately, the district wants to replace Park Hill High School, Plaza Middle School and Union Chapel Elementary School.
How much could my taxes go up from the Park Hill bond and Proposition G?
The impact to a homeowner’s tax bill depends on which of the ballot measures pass and how much their home is worth.
For example, imagine someone lives in a $100,000 house and only the teacher salary proposition passes. They’d pay an extra $19 in taxes per year.
But if your house is worth $500,000 and both propositions pass, you could see a $380 increase to your tax bill.
In the middle, someone with a $300,000 home would pay $57 more for Prop G, $171 more for Prop O or $228 combined.
Once voters approve an increased tax rate it can stay in place permanently, though the board can — and sometimes has — set the rate lower than the maximum allowed, Wachel said. The district would need voter approval to further increase the tax rate or to pass future bonds.
What happens if either proposition fails?
If the bond doesn’t pass, “we would just be deferring the projects for our aging facilities even further out,” Wachel said.
If Proposition G doesn’t pass, the district would still try to build small salary increases into its next contract with teachers.
But the idea of the proposition is to push salaries up more dramatically, helping the district catch up with other local schools and “propel us into those top tiers of (salary) rankings.”
What will I see on my ballot?
Here’s the text you’ll see on your ballot.
Proposition G: “Shall the Park Hill School District of Platte County, Missouri, be authorized to increase its adjusted operating tax levy 10 cents per one hundred dollars of assessed valuation for the purpose of paying teachers and staff competitive salaries and benefits?
“If this question is approved, the adjusted operating property tax levy of the District is estimated to increase from $4.8354 to $4.9354 per one hundred dollars of assessed valuation.”
Proposition O: “Shall the Park Hill School District of Platte County, Missouri, issue its general obligation bonds in the amount of $128,000,000 to acquire, construct, renovate, improve, furnish and equip its school facilities, including but not limited to (a) construction, improvements and renovations to various school buildings, including the Phase 1 replacement of Park Hill High School, stadium and field improvements at Park Hill South High School, and additions to various elementary schools and (b) the purchase of land?
“If this question is approved, the adjusted debt service levy of the District is estimated to increase from $0.5601 currently to $0.8601 per one hundred dollars of assessed valuation.”
Where do I find more information about the Park Hill bond and Proposition G?
The Park Hill School District website has a page about the ballot measures, including images of project plans and links to slideshows presented to the board.
