The Christian County School Board approved lowering the district’s real estate tax rate at Thursday’s meeting.
Last year’s real estate tax rate of 41 cents per $100 of assessed value will decrease to 39 cents following the board’s unanimous approval. The real estate tax rate is the only rate changing for the 2025-26 academic year. The personal property tax rate will remain 42.1 cents, the motor vehicle rate will remain 56.6 cents and the utility tax will remain 3%.
Last year’s tax rates reportedly produced nearly 21 million in revenue.
Despite the slight real estate tax decrease, the school district’s revenue is expected to increase by over $1.9 million. The revenue growth is projected due to an increase in property assessments by the Christian County Property Valuation Administration.
District Finance Director Jessica Darnell says property assessments increased $608 million since August of last year.
As a result of the new assessments, the school district is set to receive less in SEEK Funding from the Kentucky Department of Education. Darnell says the school district could lose around $1.8 million in SEEK Funding.
Superintendent Chris Bentzel shared that revenue generated by taxes does not go toward the construction of the consolidated Christian County High School. He says construction is moving along on time, and their building fund has a contingency of over $4 million.
Further concerning the high school, board members approved the establishment of seven new administrative positions. The school’s Executive Principal, Ken Carver, requested the board’s approval for four Academy Principals, an Instructional Administrator, an Operations Administrator and a Student Services Administrator.
Carver says he would like to have the positions filled by the first week of October.
Those selected for the new administrative positions will undergo training and will officially start their roles on July 1, 2026.