Ozarks Technical Community College is considering asking for a property tax increase in April 2027 to expand its programs and buildings. The college’s Board of Trustees has not yet made a final decision, but if they do decide to ask for an increase, it will be to support increased programming and capacity, not to offset reduced state funding.

Background

The college is currently collecting feedback from the community, business partners, students, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders to craft its next strategic plan. If the feedback develops into a plan that requires additional funding, the college may consider recommending a tax increase to the Board of Trustees.

A similar planning exercise in 2017 resulted in the college’s Center for Advanced Manufacturing, expanded agriculture program, and Republic Education Center, which were funded by a successful election measure in 2018. The college has also found ways to expand programs and buildings without a tax increase, such as the Michael L. Parson Student Union, which was built with $46 million in state funding.

Potential Impact

If the Board of Trustees decides to ask for a tax increase, it will appear on the ballots in several counties, including Greene, Christian, Webster, Taney, Dade, and Polk. The college’s taxing district encompasses 16 school districts across eight southwest Missouri counties.

The college’s service area is larger, including Dallas, Wright, Douglas, Ozark, and Lawrence counties, as well as Laclede and Pulaski counties, where the college has classroom buildings. Residents across the college’s taxing district currently pay 17.73 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, which is expected to raise about $19.5 million of the college’s $116 million budget for the 2026-27 school year.

Original reporting: Springfield Daily Citizen — read the source article.