ROLLBACKS WILL CUSHION BLOW FOR SOME TAXPAYERS

BENTON -- Rollbacks will keep Scott County's high assessment from impacting property taxes too severely. But some people and some school districts will have problems as they fall outside the cover of the rollback.

Residents whose property values increased by more than 10 percent will pay higher taxes despite the rollback. Scott County Assessor Teresa Houchin said some property values went up as much as 30 percent this year.

Scott County had an overall tax increase of about 9.5 percent.

Sikeston School Superintendent Dr. Arnold Bell said the R-5 school district will have a 10-cent rollback this year from 3.35 to 3.25. This should equalize the first 10 percent of property value increases for homeowners.

Property values that were assessed at greater than 10 percent will pay more taxes. "Those individual taxpayers who had a major increase in their assessment will have to pay a little bit more," Bell said.

Rollbacks are required to ensure that school districts do not over tax property owners.

"You've got to be tax-increase neutral so when the assessment comes in and goes up, you have to lower the tax rate to make sure you collect basically the same amount of tax dollars you did the previous year," Bell said.

The county's school districts will collect an annual growth increase of about 4 percent this year. Bell said the districts will not see significantly more money from the higher assessment.

"Those properties that went up 25 to 30 percent were probably not truly assessed to begin with," Bell said. "It's great if you're selling your house to have a high assessment. If you're holding on to it and paying taxes, you want a low assessment."

The rollback will create a problem for school districts that are operating at a base tax rate of 2.75 or less. Districts are penalized by the state for having a rate less that 2.75.

The large reassessment may force a couple of the county's districts into tight situations. Scott City and Kelso both had 2.75 base tax rates in 1996. Their rates this year will be set in August, but a possible 10 percent rollback could put those districts in hot water with the state.

Kelso C-7 School Superintendent Rick Chastain said he doesn't know what the penalty is for dropping below 2.75 base rate but he and the Kelso School Board are concerned.

The Kelso School Board has not determined its tax rate for 1997 yet. Chastain said the board has until August to make that decision. He said he will be doing the research and will make a suggestion to the board on a rate, but ultimately it is the board members' decision as to what it will be.

"I think it has to be a concern," Chastain said.

Scott City School Superintendent Roger Tatum was out of town this week and unavailable for comment.