by Kate Evans
The Morgan County School Board approved the same proposed regular school levy and special levy rates for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 that they approved for the last 11 fiscal years.
Their action took place at a March 18 special meeting that followed their regular March 18 school board meeting, which was held at Warm Springs Middle School.
Tax rates
The proposed special levy or excess levy tax rates that were approved are:
Class I properties—16.08 cents per $100 of assessed value; Class II—32.16 cents per $100 of assessed value; and Class III and Class IV—64.32 cents per $100 of assessed value.
Owner-occupied homes in Morgan County are classified as Class II properties.
School regular levy or current expense levy tax rates set by the state that were also approved at the meeting are:
Class I—19.40 per $100 of assessed value; Class II—38.80 cents per $100 of assessed value; and Class III and Class IV—77.60 cents per $100 of assessed value.
Class I properties, which are personal property used in agriculture, are completely exempt from taxation. Class II properties are owner-occupied residential and farmland properties.
Class III properties are commercial and all other properties located outside of municipalities.
Class IV properties are commercial and all other properties inside of municipalities.
Projected revenue
The special levy is estimated to raise $5,560,984 in projected net taxes for Morgan County Schools for Fiscal Year 2026-some $364,791 more than last year’s projected $5,196,193 amount.
The regular state school levy (current expense levy) is estimated to bring in $6,574,965 in projected net taxes for Morgan County Schools—some $431,305 more than last year’s projection of $6,143,660.
Projected revenue is minus allowances for uncollectables, exonerations, delinquencies and discounts.
The total estimated revenue from the combined regular school levy and the special levy is $12,135,949-some $796,096 more than last year’s projected revenue total of $11,339,853.
The special levy payment is in addition to regular state school levy taxes, county taxes and also municipal taxes that would be applicable if a homeowner resides within the Town of Bath or the Town of Paw Paw. Morgan County Schools has had a special levy since 1958.
Assessed values increase
Total county assessed values for Class II, III and IV properties for tax purposes for Fiscal Year 2026 are $1,400,576,209, an increase of $111,354,980 from the total assessed values and projected revenue of $1,289,221,229 in Fiscal Year 2025.
Total assessed values for Class II properties jumped to $943,836,047, a leap of $100,873,831 from $842,962,216, last year’s projected value.
Total estimated Class III property values climbed to $409,239,757 an increase of $10,167,962 from the Fiscal Year 2025 projected value of $399,072,614.
Total projected Class IV properties went up to $47,500,405 from $47,186,399, an increase of $314,006 from last year’s property values.
Levy, budget process
School Treasurer Ann Bell submitted the schedule of proposed levy rates to the West Virginia State Auditor’s office and to the West Virginia Department of Education for approval. Bell also sent the levy rates to The Morgan Messenger for publication for two weeks as required by the state.
The March 18 special meeting was adjourned after the school board voted to approve the proposed levy rates. The meeting will be reconvened at a special April 15 school board meeting where the board will formally adopt the official levy rates. The reconvened meeting will follow the regular April 15 board meeting, which will take place at 6:00 p.m. at the Morgan County School Board office.
A school board budget presentation will be held at the Tuesday, May 13 regular meeting that is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. at the school board office. The school budget will be approved for publication at that meeting.
A budget hearing is set for Tuesday, May 27 at their regular school board meeting that’s scheduled for 6:00 p.m. at the school board office. The school board will adopt the budget later during that meeting.
