Lexington residents will be surveyed
in an effort to decide whether city residents want to pay higher taxes to keep
their own school system.
After a joint meeting last Thursday
of Lexington City Council and the Lexington School Board, city officials
decided to carry out the survey, to see if there is enough interest by citizens
to pay higher property taxes to help pay for a new Waddell Elementary School.
City Manager Jon Ellestad said real estate taxes would rise from 78 cents per
$100 of assessed valuation to $1.15 by 2019, due to the construction of a new
elementary school.
Some area
government officials have suggested that a study be carried out to determine
whether a consolidation of the area school divisions is the way to go.
Lexington City Council members opted to hold off on any study for now, to give
city residents a chance to make their feelings known about paying higher taxes
to maintain the city school system.
