Columbus, NE — Columbus Public Schools is pleased to announce that continued efforts to secure the most favorable rates for our community have resulted in a significant reduction in the expected levy impact for the upcoming Intermediate School Bond Referendum on November 4th.

When the bond was first introduced, the estimated impact on the bond levy was an increase of 4.5 cents per $100,000 of home valuation. Through proactive financial management and strategic planning, the district has been able to lower that increase to 3.2 cents per $100,000 of home valuation.

Investment on the future of students in Columbus through this proposed bond issue would impact tax payers as follows:

*The formula to calculate the annual impact for taxpayers is “Valuation of Your Home” multiplied by 0.00032.

“This reduction is a direct reflection of our commitment to being responsible with taxpayer dollars,” said Dr. Chip Kay, Superintendent of Columbus Public Schools. “We are committed to ensuring that every investment in our schools provides the maximum value for our community and students while minimizing the impact on taxpayers.”

Over the past 5 years, Columbus Public Schools has worked to lower the total levy.

Columbus Public Schools is proposing a $43.6 million bond referendum to construct an Intermediate School for students in Grades 4 and 5.  The proposal comes after 16 months of community input meetings and data collecting to determine a project that will meet the academic needs of students, create space throughout all K-8 buildings, and maximize available resources.