CHRISTIAN COUNTY, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – Christian County Board of Education members are moving forward with the proposed one cent increase for their property tax rate, which led to the approval of raises for full-time employees at Christian County Public Schools.
At the top of the Aug. 20 meeting, the board voted to appoint Lindsey Clark as the new chair, and Erin Westerfield as the vice chair. Longtime chair Tom Bell resigned at the beginning of August with the District 5 seat currently vacant.
Their proposed property tax rate was 40.0 cents per $100 of assessed property for this fiscal year. This one cent increase includes a levy which raises the district’s incoming revenue by 4%. The initial step in establishing the rate was taken during discussion on Aug. 6, and the vote to approve the rate came on during this week’s meeting.
| Current 2025-26 tax rates | Proposed 2026-27 tax rates |
|---|---|
| Real estate: 39.0 cents per 100 dollars | Real estate: 40.0 cents per 100 dollars |
| Personal property: 42.0 | Personal property: 41.9 |
| Motor vehicle: 56.6 | Motor vehicle: 56.6 |
| Utility tax: 4% | Utility tax: 3% |
| Total revenue produced: $21.9 million | Total revenue produced: |
The district has utilized a tax levy for the past three years, according to data presented at the meeting. This slight raise will add roughly one dollar to every $100,000 in assessed property.
- $100,000 home value: $10 increase in property tax totaling $400
- $80,000 home value: $8 increase in property tax totaling $320
- $1 million home value: $100 increase in property tax totaling $4,000
Based on last year’s tax rates prior to this vote, Christian County has the third lowest property tax rate in the state despite having the eleventh largest population in Kentucky. Other districts in the state have historically had property tax rates as high as 88.2 cents, with nearby Trigg County sitting at 49.8 and Dawson Springs was 74.7 last school year.
It was noted during the meeting that many of the districts with a higher tax rate also have higher starting pay for staff. Board members voted on the proposed rate, with only Clark voting against. Erin Westerfield, Rebecca Pepper and Ambrea Watkins all voted in favor of the rate.
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CCPS loses federal dollars with higher property values
Property Value Assessments have steadily increased, which is determined by the PVA’s office. Real estate assessments increased by $157 million this year in Christian County, with an increase of $605 million the previous school year. The PVA’s office rotates every year whether they assess select commercial, industrial, or residential properties around the county.
For every $1 million increase in assessments, the district loses $3,000 in necessary SEEK funding from the state. This school year the district is losing $471,717 in budgeted SEEK funds due to the latest assessments.
Although the levy is bringing in an extra $2 million in revenue, once the district accommodates for the SEEK fund loss, that total sits around $1.5 million in revenue.
Board votes on salary increase
This salary schedule revision that was presented to board members also had a 1% increase for all full-time employees, which Superintendent Bentzel said was contingent on the approval of the higher tax rate which will supply necessary revenue. The raises include, but are not limited to, teacher salaries.
Accommodating the 1% raise will cost an additional $425,000 from the district’s General Fund, plus fringe benefits at $42,335, for a total cost of $467,335. Annual salaries will go up by around $400 annually with this raise.
Board member Westerfield with District 1 expressed that approving even a slight increase in salary allows the district to take first steps in being competitive with hiring and will help retain and recruit teaching staff.
According to the Director of Business Jessica Darnell, this increase is retroactive to the beginning of the 2027 Fiscal Year school year and should be in effect by Sept. 15. The updated salary schedule unanimously passed.
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