Over the past several months, there has been a great deal of community conversation and local media coverage about the City of New Prague’s decision to construct a new police station. With the city moving forward with these plans, it is important for the school district to add some important context around the differences in the district’s operating levy proposal and the decision from the city.
What do the two have in common?
It is true that both the city’s decision to construct the police station and the district’s request to increase its operating levy would mean an increase in property taxes for many residents. There are also a few big, differences that are important to understand:
- The district does not have the option to construct facilities or increase its operating budget without seeking approval from residents. Districts are required to conduct a bond or operating levy election and get approval from taxpayers before the district receives any additional funds.
- The school board must approve a resolution authorizing the election. At its meeting in June 2025, the NPAS board approved a resolution to ask residents to consider the increase in the operating levy.
- Districts are required to follow the process and timelines for scheduling a referendum election. The district has very little flexibility and must closely follow the process established by the state.
- While the district chooses to communicate frequently about its operating levy, it is required to send information about the operating levy to all property owners in the district. This year’s information will be sent sometime after September 20.
While not legally required, NPAS also prioritizes seeking community input to inform decisions related to referendum proposals. Along with ongoing conversations with staff, parent and community groups, the district conducted a community survey in May 2025 to solicit additional insight from residents. Results from the survey informed the referendum amount, which was lowered based on community input.