Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools have reduced their share of the property tax rate since 2018, with a 10.25% rate reduction during that period.  HSE Schools Chief Financial Officer Katy Dowling provided that update at the Wednesday HSE School Board session.

“We all know assessed values have gone up and we were certainly on that trend of (tax rates going) down,” Dowling told board members.

She explained the reductions,  detailed by year in the graphic above.

This has been possible through increases in valuations of property.

“Not everybody has reduced their tax rate as they have seen AV (assessed valuation) growth,” Dowling said.

Several board members complimented Ms. Dowling on her work.  However, it should be noted that she, along with fellow administrator Jimmy Lake, did not have their contracts renewed, normally a routine action by the board.  Those contracts remain on hold.

In other news from the HSE School Board meeting:

–Skillman Construction was awarded the contract for the $28.9 million renovation of Fall Creek Intermediate School.  Facilities Director Matt Rapp reminded board members and the local community that 25-30 years ago HSE Schools underwent a “boom” in building.  “We’re lucky our buildings do look very nice but they do need updates,” Rapp said.

–The board formally voted in favor of raising the mileage reimbursement rate for employees using their personally-owned vehicles for business.  The rate has been 43 cents per mile for HSE employees the past several years.  In the future, beginning in 2024, employees will be reimbursed based on the standard mileage rate provided by the IRS.  The 2024 standard mileage rate is 67 cents per mile.

–Acting Superintendent Matt Kegley provided data on the 2023 graduation rates for the two high schools.  Fishers High School had a graduation rate of 98.4% and HSE’s rate was 97.04%.  Kegley provided the board with a comparison chart, measuring our high schools with others in the Indy metro area (chart shown below).