The Boone County School Board unanimously voted Monday night to lower property tax rates across the county, but Kentucky state representatives say property owners will still see higher tax bills.
“The property assessments in Boone County have gone up 21.9%. So that means our property values are so much higher, so the tax rate is actually higher,” Kentucky state Rep. Marianne Proctor said Monday. “They’re gonna be paying more money even though the rate may be a little bit lower.”
Multiple Boone County residents attended Monday night’s meeting to voice their concerns about the total tax increase. Some directed their concerns toward the board.
“You’re significantly burdening fixed-income homeowners – the retired and the elderly,” Boone County resident Randy Steagall said.
Others blamed a lack of state funding for the increases.
“To our state electeds who are here, please take this same passion back to Frankfort. And fund education completely. No excuses,” Kelly Read of the Boone County Education Association said.
According to data provided to WCPO 9 News by Kentucky state representatives, Boone County is forecasted to potentially lose 2.7% of its state SEEK funding in 2027. However, that same data shows the county is expected to more than cover that loss with a projected 7.5% increase in local property tax collections.
“They do have the funds to operate within their means, and you know, private people, like personally, you have to operate within your means,” Kentucky state Rep. Steve Rawlings pointed out.
Boone County School Board Chair Jesse Parks pushed back on that characterization.
“We want high tech high schools. We want quality pre-K. We want kindergarten through 12th grade that people would sell their home in some other place and buy a home here in Boone County, and that’s what we continue to work for as a board and that’s what our citizenry wants,” Parks said.
Board members say they can’t afford to aim for the same property tax revenue as in 2026 because the consequences would be significant.
“We’re looking at potentially cutting 42 positions out of our schools,” Boone County School Board Member Karen Byrd said.
School board members are now calling for a change in the way state funding is allocated.
“The general opinion that has been in Frankfort all of this time is Boone County is a property-rich district,” Byrd said. “Which is their way of saying you should pay more than your fair share. You have the ability to do it, therefore you should do it, and that way that will leave more money to go to the people who don’t.”
However, state representatives say reform will take a collaborative effort.
“I actually agree with many of the people in this audience [and] with this board that there are problems with the SEEK formula,” said Kentucky state Rep. TJ Roberts. “But in order to fix the SEEK formula, in order for us to make sure that there’s actual collaboration, we need you guys … we need you guys in Frankfort to have these conversations with us.”
Read LINK nky’s coverage from our new education reporter, Lia Salvatierra, here.
