Mill Rate Misconception
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At tonight’s “special” board meeting of the Hudson bored of education, district finance director Arnie “I Can’t Find the $4.5 million” Fett spoke highly of the ever decreasing “Mill Rate” of our illustrious school district. I think maybe Arnie might want to spend a few days in the 5th Grade Fiance Class at E.P. Rock. It seems as though the 5th graders at E.P. Rock have a greater grasp of our district finances than Arnie does (see letter) . You see the mill rate is nothing more than a factor in determining your total taxes. The reduction in the mill rate comes about simply because the valuation in our district continues to rise due to new construction and home appreciation. But Arnie likes to tout this mill rate reduction as though it’s something worthwhile when it means absolutely nothing. I can hear the conversation now-
Senior Citizen Huband- “Hey honey did you see that the mill rate dropped again this year?”
Senior Citizen Wife- “I sure did. One more drop like that and we’re going to be forced out of our home!”
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Farmer Brown: So, Pete, how does your mil rate?
Farmer Pete: Oh, fair to partly midland. She’s been droppin lately, so I was thinkin of movin on.
Farmer Brown: Movin on?
Farmer Pete: Movin on.
Farmer Brown: Pete, that just don’t make sense. Aint it good that your mil is droopin a bit.
Farmer Pete: Well, if you tip er kitty wampus and look at er from the angle of my check book its a cryin shame.
Farmer Brown: You mean your payin more with a droopin mil rate?
Farmer Pete: You damn right. Much more. Gotta sell the farm to pay the school taxes.
Farmer Brown: Wow, Pete, that there is a cryin shame. Do you even have kids in them schools?
Farmer Pete: Nope. Sent em all to private school. Cost me plenty but I could sleep at night.
Farmer Brown: And you paid double all those years?
Farmer Pete: Yip.
Farmer Brown: Heck, you’d think while you were sending those kids to private school the govment woulda let you take a credit?
Farmer Pete: A credit?
Farmer Brown: A credit.
Farmer Pete: How’s a credit work?
Farmer Brown: Well, you educate your kid some place other than the govement school right?
Farmer Pete: Right.
Farmer Brown: Well, since you are already payin for yours why should you then have to double up and pay for someone elses too? You shouldn’t have to do that while your payin for your own.
Farmer Pete: Ya know Brown, you’re right. Just think of all them families out there that might send their kids to private school if this credit thing caught on. Heck, we’d have a psunami of kids goin to the private schools.
Farmer Brown: Yip, it would be a psunami.
Farmer Pete: Well, its too late for me Brown – Im tapped out, gotta sell.
Farmer Brown: Well, its been good knowin ya Pete. You’re a good man.
Farmer Pete: Same to you Brown, good luck gettin that credit thing goin.
Farmer Brown: We’re workin on it…
The Finance Directors in all of the surrounding districts also play the mill rate game as you see by this article in the River Falls paper-
Please note the further explanation in the remainder of the article. Why is it the the local newspaper editors just let this go? See Full Article
They are part of the mystery.
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