WILLMAR—The property tax levy that funds Willmar Public Schools will decrease 1% in the next year.

The Willmar School Board voted at its meeting Monday to adopt the levy, following its Truth-in-Taxation public hearing.

The board also heard a presentation about possibly developing a full football stadium at the new turf football field between the Willmar Civic Center and Willmar Senior High School.

Kathryn Haase, director of business and finance, led the board through a review of the property tax levy. No one from the public attended the hearing, which state law requires the district to conduct.

Haase explained that the school tax is just one part of an overall property tax bill, which also includes county, city or township and other special categories of taxes.

The state controls nearly every aspect of schools’ property tax levies, she said.

The levy to be paid in 2022 is $8.1 million. The levy paid in 2022 will fund the 2022-23 school year.

The new levy represents a decrease of about $84,000 from the levy paid this year. The decrease comes in part from the end of two tax abatements for local businesses, Haase said.

Read the full article by the West Central Tribune.