This site provides information for taxpayers of Independent School District 330-Heron Lake-Okabena regarding how the district’s proposed referendum may affect property taxes. The site was prepared in cooperation with Ehlers, the district’s independent municipal advisor.
If you have questions about the information presented on this site, please contact Ehlers using the information provided below.
About the Referendum
The district will hold a special election on Tuesday, August 8, 2023, seeking voter approval of one ballot question.
QUESTION 1 would authorize the district to issue up to $2,500,000 in general obligation school building bonds to provide funds for the acquisition and betterment of school sites and facilities, including the completion of various deferred maintenance projects at school sites and facilities, including the construction of a new roof on a portion of the high school, the installation of a new pool filtering system at the elementary school, and repairs and maintenance to the building envelope at the elementary school.
For more information on how these funds would be used, view the District’s website.
Impact on Property Taxes
The property tax levy for the payment on the new bonds would begin with taxes payable in 2024 (at a tax rate estimated to be level with taxes payable in 2023, along with the District’s existing debt) and the tax levies would remain in place for 15 years. To determine the estimated impact of the proposed ballot question on your 2024 taxes, follow the instructions below or view a sample property value here.
Your 2024 taxes will be based on the 2023 Estimated Market Value (EMV), which was provided on the “Notice of Valuation and Classification” mailed by your county in March 2023.
Click on the link below (click, “Agree” on the pop up if one shows up), enter your search criteria and select your parcel from the results screen. Enter your search criteria and select your parcel from the results screen. Scroll down to the section labeled, “Valuation” and use the “Estimated Market Value” for the 2023 assessment year in the calculator below.
Click on the link below (click, “Agree” on the pop up if one shows up), enter your search criteria and select your parcel from the results screen. Scroll to, “2023 Values for 2024 Taxes” section and use the value listed as, “Total Value” under the “Market” column in the calculator below. If 2024 taxes are not yet available online, please call the assessor directly to ask for your Estimated Market Value for taxes payable in 2024.
Click on the link below (click, “Agree” on the pop up if one shows up), enter in your search criteria and select your parcel from the results screen. Make sure to select the parcel labeled as “2023 Value for Tax Payable 2024”. Click to view the “Value Information” tab and use the value listed as, “Total MKT” in the calculator below. If there are two different values shown, use the left value.
ONLINE CALCULATORS: ESTIMATING TAX IMPACT
Residential Homestead Property
If you own a RESIDENTIAL HOMESTEAD property, enter the Estimated Market Value below to see the estimated tax impact.
Commercial / Industrial Property
If you own COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL property, enter the Estimated Market Value below to see the estimated tax impact.
Agricultural Property
**For all agricultural property, estimated tax impact for 2024 includes a 70% reduction due to the School Building Bond Agricultural Credit. Average value per acre is the total estimated market value of all land & buildings divided by total acres. If the property includes a home, then the tax impact on the house, garage, and one acre of land will be calculated in addition to the taxes per acre, on the same basis as a residential homestead or non-homestead property. If the same property owner owns more than $2.15 million of agricultural homestead land and buildings, a portion of the property will be taxed at the higher non-homestead rate.
If you own agricultural or other types of property, please complete the following form and submit it to Ehlers. Once we receive it, an Ehlers representative will contact your county to find the value and classification of your property, calculate the tax impact and contact you via phone or email with the results. Please allow 1-3 days for completion. PLEASE NOTE: you may enter up to 10 property IDs by clicking the “+” button at the end of each row. For more than 10 properties, please contact Ehlers.
If you have any questions, please call Ehlers at 1-800-552-1171 and ask to speak with a member of our School Finance Team.
School Building Bond Agricultural Credit
This property tax credit originally took effect with property taxes payable in 2018. For taxes payable in 2023 and later, the credit reduces taxes for owners of agricultural property in an amount equivalent to 70% of the taxes attributable to school district debt service for all agricultural property, except for the house, garage, and one acre. This credit is directly deducted from property taxes owed and applies to debt service levies for all types of existing and future bonds for construction and renovation projects. The credit is paid through an open and standing appropriation, which means that no action by the Legislature is required each year for this credit to be paid from the state general fund. The credit is automatically deducted on the tax statement and is included in the tax impact estimates provided by Ehlers.
There are certain Minnesota Tax Credits and Deferrals that may affect certain property owners' situations. They include:
Minnesota Homestead Credit Refund
If your household income is less than approximately $128,280, you may qualify for the Homestead Credit Refund (also known as the “Circuit Breaker” refund). This program, which has existed since the 1970s, is intended to reduce tax burdens for homeowners with relatively low incomes and relatively high property tax burdens. Some important facts about this program are summarized below.
- Available each year to owners of homestead property
- Applies only to the taxes attributable to the house, garage, and one acre on agricultural homestead property
- Available to all owners of residential homestead and agricultural homestead property with household incomes of less than $128,280
- Refund is on a sliding scale, based on your income and your total property tax burden
- The maximum refund is $3,140
- Also available to renters
- To determine eligibility and refund amounts, complete Minnesota tax form M1PR
Special Property Tax Refund
If your total property taxes increase by more than 12 percent and more than $100 from one year to the next, you may qualify for a state refund equal to a portion of the increase. There is no income limit for this refund.
To determine eligibility and refund amounts, complete Minnesota tax form M1PR.
Senior Citizen Property Tax Deferral
If you are 65 years or older and have a household income of $96,000 or less, you may be eligible to defer a portion of the property taxes on your home, through the Senior Citizen Property Tax Deferral Program. The program:
- Limits the maximum amount of property tax you pay to 3 percent of your total household income
- Provides predictability; the amount of tax you pay will not change for as long as you participate in this program
The 2023 Legislature modified the requirements of this program by increasing the household income limit to $96,000. This new income limit is in effect for taxes payable in 2024 and later years.