Racine Unified School District Tax Rate to Go Down in 2017

RACINE COUNTY -- Racine County taxpayers who are used to seeing regular increases in the Racine Unified School District's tax rate get something new for 2017: a tax rate decrease.

According to state data, in the five years since ACT 10 was approved by Republican lawmakers, Racine's property tax rate (per $1,000 of equalized value) has increased from $8.41 in 2011 to $10.63 in 2016.

In 2017, the district is projecting a 5.8 percent decrease, reducing the mill rate from $10.63 to $10.01, according to a report from the Racine Journal Times.

According to the Journal Times report, there are a number of reasons for 2017's tax rate decrease.

They are:

• A addition of $100 million in state funding to the education budget of statewide districts.
• The expiration of a TIF District in Sturtevant.

Racine Unified School District, by the Numbers since ACT 10 (2011-2016):

Enrollment
2010-11: 21,100
2015-16: 19,184 (-9.1%)

Teacher count
2011: 1,407
2016: 1,434 (+1.9%)

Cost per student
2011: $8,084.30
2015: $7,411.18 (-8.3%)

Average teacher salary
2016: $55,991.00 (+1.1% since 2011)

Tax levy
2011: $8.41 (rank: 326 of 424)
2016: $10.63 (rank: 149 of 424)
Note: Levy rates are shown in "mills", or property tax dollars levied per $1,000 of equalized property value.

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