BROOKINGS – The Brookings School Board on Monday heard about the different ways the Brookings School District has and is going about informing the public about the opt out that’s up for public vote April 10.

Voters within school district boundaries – whether they’re in the city limits or not – are being asked to raise their property taxes by approving the requested $5.1 million-maximum annual opt out. Initially, the district would take $3.9 million, with a slight increase each year for 10 years to follow inflation.

Based on the initial opt out amount of $3.9 million, the tax levy for an owner-occupied home would be $2.31 per $1,000 in valuation.

With that rate in mind, that means a house worth $150,000 would see an estimated monthly increase of $22.35 in property taxes. For a house worth $200,000 it’d be an additional $29.80 each month or an additional $37.25 for a house worth $250,000.

Agricultural property tax levy would be $1.03 per $1,000 in valuation, and commercial property levy would be $4.77 per $1,000.

The tax rate then would increase each time the district increases the amount of taxes they draw of the maximum $5.1 million.

A breakdown of estimated monthly property tax increases at different valuation levels can be found online at https://www.brookings.k12.sd.us/Page/1344.

The opt out is being proposed to help the district close the gap between limited resources and the needs and wants of students, staff and the district. If nothing is done, the district is facing more than $750,000 in cuts just to balance its budget.

If approved, the extra revenue would also be used to add faculty, administrators and staff in a variety of areas and pay for training and enhancements to district and program development. It also aims to reduce class sizes in Brookings schools.

One of the three planned community engagement sessions, all open to the public, has been held with the other two to come in the next week. All sessions are to take place at the Brookings High School commons. The first was held last Tuesday. The next will take place at noon Thursday, March 29, and the last one at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 3.

Brookings School District Superintendent Klint Willert told the members of the school board that he’s been to several talks requested by specific groups, such as the Brookings Economic Development Corporation, and he welcomed the invitation of any other interested groups in the Brookings area.

That can be done through the school district’s website by going onto the opt out section’s tab labeled “Community Engagement.”

And as School Board President Randy Grimsley noted, those with questions can also ask through the district’s opt out page as well. The last tab on the left-hand side, Ask A Question, can be clicked for users to then ask a question they have pertaining to the opt out, although people might want to first check out the Frequently Asked Questions tab to see if it’s already been asked and answered.

“There’s never been a better time to do that instead of having an unanswered question or if you just mull around and ask a neighbor who might not know. I would urge people to ask the question, get the fact and base their vote based on that one way or the other. They can still ask specific questions throughout this time,” Grimsley said.

“We’re trying to have a variety of means and methods to provide opportunities for engagement and feedback and input and dialogue,” Willert agreed.

Contact Eric Sandbulte at esandbulte@brookingsregister.com.