The Antigo Middle School in a picture taken today. |
Antigo school taxes are a deal, average eyed Nov. 2, 2009 The Antigo school district taxed property owners less than average for educational expenses in 2008-09.
According to a just-released report by the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, a non-profit citizen watchdog group, Antigo levied a tax rate of $7.70 per $1,000 of valuation for the last school year, compared to a statewide average for similar districts of $8.61.
Elcho was even lower, levying a rate of $5.12 per $1,000. White Lake, the smallest of the three area school districts in both the number of students and the tax base, levied $10.24
The numbers were included in the Alliance’’s newly released “SchoolFacts09,” an annual publication that provides a wide range of information on spending, revenue, enrollment, staffing and test scores for every school district in the state.
Wittenberg-Birnamwood levied $6.50 per $1,000 of valuation. Numbers from other area schools include Ashland, $6.32; Bowler, $7.23; Crandon, $7.04; D.C. Everest, $9.52; Menominee Indian, $9.58; Merrill, $7.73; Eagle River, $5.23; Rhinelander, $7.59; Shawano, $8.06; and Wausau, $9.27.
Area schools spent at or near the state average in comparative expenditures per pupil, which includes most instructional areas with the exception of transportation, debt service, capital expansion and non-program costs.
In that category, Antigo spent $10,312; Elcho, $10,080; and Wittenberg-Birnamwood, $9,182. White Lake was again skewed higher, at $13,047, due in large part to its small enrollment.
The state average for K-12 schools was $10,040.
Statewide, the Alliance reported that total school spending topped $10 billion for the first time in 2008-09.
Spending increases varied by category. While total per pupil expenditures statewide increased 5.1 percent, those on administration and pupil services both rose 6 percent over the year. Expenditures for direct instruction were up 5.4 percent.
Several areas rose less, including instructional support, 4.6 percent; transportation, 4.2 percent; and building and grounds, 1.5 percent. Spending on capital improvements and debt service was up 2.6 percent in 2008-09.
School property taxes climbed 5.2 percent from the prior year, largely due to a small increase in state school aids.
Statewide, school enrollments declined for the sixth consecutive year, mirroring a trend in the northwoods. At 861,000, full-time equivalent enrollments were down 1.5 percent from their 2002-03 peak of 874,042.
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