By SUSAN RUMBLE

Special to The Press

Last year, the Parkland School District administration and board decline to raise taxes as a favor to residents who may have experienced a loss of income due to COVID-19.

However, the 15.71 mill rate of the past two terms is likely to increase for the 2021-22 budget which is presently under consideration.

At the Jan. 19 school board meeting, directors approved a resolution to keep any tax increase no higher than the 3 percent index calculated by the state Department of Education for the fiscal year July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022.

If taxes are increased 3 percent, the millage rate would be 16.18.

The owner of a home assessed at $228,300, the median value in Parkland, paid $3,586.59 in property tax at the 15.71 mill rate for the past two years.

At 16.8 mills, the tax would go up to $3,693.89, an increase of $107.30.

Superintendent Richard Sniscak said Parkland representatives will be working on the budget into June.

Although a 3-percent increase is permitted, Sniscak says the district will not necessarily go that high.

“We always look to mitigate the impact of the tax,” the superintendent explained.