District 742 Board Votes In Favor Of 24% Tax Increase

ST. CLOUD -- The St. Cloud Area School Board voted 6-1 on Thursday night to increase the district's property tax levy by 24% next year.

Jerry VonKorff was the lone board member who voted no.  He says the buck has to stop with state lawmakers.

The six board members who voted in favor of the increase all say it wasn't an easy decision.  But Bruce Hentges points out, even with this increase, the property taxes in the St. Cloud Area School District will still be lower than the surrounding districts.

The average home in the St. Cloud Area School District will see an increase of $75 on their property taxes next year.

After the vote, Superintendent Bruce Watkins said that wasn't even the worst of the agony.  He says the greater agony will come in March when they're forced to make another $1 million in cuts.