By Bob Vlach
Woodford Sun Staff
Woodford County Public Schools Superintendent Lori Jones explained why she is recommending the Board of Education (BOE) hold the local property tax rate at 63.3 cents, which is a recallable rate, during a special-called meeting on Tuesday.
In making her case for why the district needs to maintain its current tax rate, Jones asked the community and BOE, “Do we stabilize our school system or do we de-fund it?”
The 63.3 cent rate being recommended is the lowest that rate has been since the 2014-15 school year, she said, and because it would be the same rate as last year, anyone whose property is not reassessed (about 75 percent of the county) won’t get a higher tax bill for schools.
Someone owning a $355,733 house that is reassessed and increases in value by $30,000 – an 8.75 percent increase in value – will save $8.72 for the year or 73 cents a month if the BOE votes to approve a lower non-recallable tax rate (60.5 cents per $100 of assessed value) instead of holding the rate at 63.3 cents, which “will allow us to stabilize our fund balance,” Jones said.
The BOE will vote on a property tax rate during its regular meeting on Monday, Aug. 24. No one spoke during the tax rate hearing, which was held after the work session, when Jones and District Finance Officer Jason Gribbins discussed factors that led to a $3 million operating deficit prior to last school year.
Property assessment values in Woodford County have gone up 40 percent over the last four years, which has resulted in reduced state funding, Gribbins explained. Also, state funding has not kept up with inflation, so fixed costs, including utilities and transportation, in WCPS have gone up by over 8 percent, he said.
“We are at the bottom 5 percent of state funding per pupil,” he said, while showing a color-coded map of state funding in every Kentucky county. He also pointed out the 63.3 cent non-recallable tax rate adopted by the BOE last year did not generate 4 percent more revenue for WCPS because of state revenue taken away as a result of assessment values going up in Woodford County.
After Jones began her tenure as superintendent last July 1, and the BOE approved a non-recallable 63.3 cent tax rate in September 2025, Jones said she formed a budget committee in October 2025 with a charge of making recommendations to cut $3 million from next school year’s budget. But in order to end last school year in a better financial situation, WCPS immediately began cost-savings measures to cut $1.8 million in the middle of a school year, Jones said.
Spending was reduced in several areas, including travel and at Central Office, where there was also a hiring freeze and reorganization. Among the unfilled and unfunded positions were assistant superintendent and chief information officer/director of technology. Also, supervisor positions in accounting and payroll were eliminated, and other positions were given more responsibilities, Chief Operating Officer Josh Rayburn said.
Additionally, utility expenses were reduced by using two (instead of several) hallways for Central Office operations in the former high school, bulk purchases saved thousands of dollars and community partners were relied on more to help cover costs, including a new math curriculum, Rayburn said.
Because of the cost savings and cuts, WCPS ended the year with a balance of $3.3 million instead of $1.8 million, Jones said. However, she said WCPS really needs to end a school year with an $8 to $9 million balance to cover expenses at the start of the school year before receiving the bulk of its local tax revenue in November.
“At this point, where we’ve cut so much,” said Gribbins, “it’s no longer an expenditure issue. It’s a funding problem.” He said holding the tax rate at 63.3 cents “doesn’t quite keep up with inflation, but the gap is much smaller and much more manageable” than if a lower rate of 60.5 cents is adopted by the BOE on Aug. 24.
During last year’s tax rate discussions, BOE Sarah McCoun said she struggled with making a decision about how to vote “because our community had not seen us take a step back and really dig in and evaluate what are we spending and is it absolutely necessary.”
Since Jones became superintendent, McCoun said she and her administrative team have taken “deep, deep dives into every expense. Is it needed?” So, “I am very grateful for where we’re at,” she added.
“We’re in a situation,” said BOE Vice Chair Ambrose Wilson, “where if we maintain our current tax rate, we will be able to provide for our employees, our teachers, our students, our community what they want in an educational system without raising taxes. To me, it’s that simple.”
BOE member Sherri Springate was out of town and did not participate in the meeting, although it was explained to the public and board members that she had been trying to join the meeting remotely.