Stevenson High School board approves $1 million tax abatement, refunds student fees

Taxpayers in Stevenson High School District 125 will get a break, as will families whose teens attend the school, under a pair of measures approved by the district's board of education Monday.

Board members authorized a $1 million property tax abatement and agreed to refund all student fees for the current school year. Both decisions were reached after school officials reviewed changes in revenues and expenses because of the COVID-19 pandemic, officials said.

"In a typical year, these funds are collected for a variety of needs, but this year is far from typical," board Vice President Dave Weisberg said in an announcement of the decisions. "I am grateful to our school leadership for their ongoing thoughtfulness with respect to our resources, especially during what has been a challenging year for many of our families."

Savings from the tax abatement will appear on property owners' 2020 tax statements, when taxes are due in June and September 2021. The school board took similar action to abate taxes during the Great Recession in 2008, officials said.

Families of Stevenson students will receive a full refund of remaining 2020-2021 fees not refunded last fall, when school officials approved a partial $200 refund. The remaining $180 in student fees will be refunded over the next six weeks, officials said.

"We are committed to being good stewards of our resources and believe that putting these funds back into the hands of our community members is the right thing to do," Weisberg said.