Harrisburg School District superintendent says cuts likely after voters reject tax increase

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Harrisburg School District will lose out on about $300,000 and likely will need to cut staff or programs after voters rejected a property tax increase on Tuesday.

School district voters rejected the dual measure, which would roll back Prop C sales taxes while increasing the district's property tax levy, with 275 "no" votes to 216 "yes" votes. The property tax increase would have been 50 cents per $100 of assessed value, or 7%, and cost a taxpayer with a house appraised at $200,000 about $16 per month.

Superintendent Steve Combs said Tuesday that he was a "little disappointed" about the vote and that cuts are likely in the coming school year. The tax increase would have brought in about $300,000.

The district had pitched the tax measure to voters as needed to continue providing quality education as the district grows.

"While we celebrate the success of our students and the accomplishments of our District, we also look to the future and recognize the cost to operate the District continues to rise," Combs wrote in an open letter posted to the district's website in June. "Our District is financially sound, but we are at a crossroads. Unfortunately, we cannot rely on federal and state funding to cover increased costs."

The district employs about 85 people and has about 600 students.