KSHB 41 reporter Claire Bradshaw covers eastern Jackson County, including Blue Springs and Independence. Share your story idea with Claire.
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After voters rejected a tax levy increase and transfer in April, the Oak Grove R-VI School District is returning to voters with a modified proposal on the August ballot.
"We heard the voters. We heard the concern. No one wants to pay more taxes. We lost by 50 votes, and we only had about 15% voter turnout. So that obviously is a concern again," said Superintendent Mindy Hampton.
The district has already made around $1 million in cuts since the April issue didn't pass. Additionally, it has lost 30% of its federal funding, nearly $112,000.
This time, the district is asking voters to approve a no tax rate increase levy transfer, removing the tax rate increase that was part of the April proposal.
The district wants to transfer 70 cents from the debt service fund to the operational fund, which would give administrators more flexibility in how that money is used.
"We have concerns with maintaining competitive salaries to school districts around us," Hampton said. "But also, school districts used to be exempt from making and meeting minimum wage standards, and beginning January, we are no longer exempt from that. So we have to get to that minimum wage threshold, which is $15 an hour, and we're not in a couple of our categories of pay. So we do have to make sure we focus on that as well."
The issue will be on the Aug. 5 ballot. More information from the school district can be found here.
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