JACKSON SCHOOL TAX RATE INCREASES 12 CENTS

JACKSON -- The Jackson school board on Tuesday raised the district's 1994 property tax rate 12 cents to $2.97 per $100 of assessed valuation.

The increase is in compliance with the Proposition C rollback that Missouri voters approved, said Howard Alexander, the school district's financial manager. The district will have a $2.75 tax rate for its operating funds.

Although the state auditor's office approve a debt service levy of 31 cents for the district, Alexander said the rate will remain 22 cents. That is what school officials told voters the rate would be when they approved bonds to build a new elementary school.

The $2.97 rate will generate more than $4 million in property taxes for the district. The district's total assessed valuation increased more than $5.6 million dollars to $139.9 million since last year.

With the additional 12 cents on the tax rate and the increase in the assessed valuation, the school district will receive about $674,000 more in property tax receipts this year than last.

In other business, the board readopted its policy on conflicts of interest among board members and district employees. The board also approved a request by the Cape Girardeau Area Vo-Tech School to use the Jackson Junior High School as a site for Adult Basic Education classes. It will be the third year here for the program.

With classes starting today, Superintendent Wayne Maupin said enrollment is 3,976, which includes students who might have moved without notifying the district office. He said there are nine grades with more than 300 students. He estimated the freshman class at 350.

Maupin also reported that school architects had assured him that they are working on long-range plans to upgrade facilities. He said the architects might report to the board next month.

As a final matter, two new administrators at the senior high school were introduced to the board: Kevin Bohnert, athletic director, and Rick McClard, assistant principal. The board will meet eight new elementary teachers at its Sept. 13 meeting and nine new high school teachers on Oct. 11.