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2026 Mill Levy Override

The Board of Education will vote to add a Mill Levy Override (MLO) for up to $231,788 to the November 2026 ballot to support:

  • Funding staff compensation, including increasing base salary;
  • Recruiting and retaining qualified teachers and support staff; and
  • Improving employee benefits.

Based on current enrollment projections, RFSD anticipates the MLO will generate $231,788 annually.

$231,788 MLO estimated cost

  • Residential - approximately $28 per $100,000 of “actual home value” per year
  • Commercial - approximately $100 per $100,000
Mill Ley Override image

 

Arguments

Arguments For

  • Creates the District's first-ever voter-approved mill levy override — currently Hanover SD28 has none, unlike many neighboring districts
  • Directly funds base salary increases, benefits, and staff recruitment/retention — addressing a competitive disadvantage
  • Revenue is legally restricted to those purposes; it can't be redirected to construction or administrative overhead without a separate vote
  • No bonded debt involved — taxpayers aren't taking on principal, interest, or repayment obligations
  • Permanent, stable funding lets the District make long-term compensation commitments rather than relying on year-to-year budget swings
  • Revenue scales with assessed valuation over time rather than staying flat
Mill Ley Override image

Survey closes at 12:00 PM on Thursday, September 18, 2026.

Mill Ley Override image

Arguments Against

  • Only the first year's dollar amount ($231,788) is fixed; amounts in later years depend on assessed valuation, so long-term revenue (and long-term cost to taxpayers) isn't a set figure
  • "Without limitation as to rate" language may read as open-ended to some voters, even though the mill rate itself (4 mills) is fixed 
  • It's a permanent tax increase with no sunset clause — voters aren't asked to reauthorize it periodically
  • Any future change in purpose requires going back to voters — less flexibility if District needs differ down the road

Ballot Language

NOVEMBER 2026 BALLOT ISSUE
SHALL HANOVER SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 28 TAXES BE INCREASED BY $231,788 IN TAX YEAR 2026, FOR COLLECTION IN 2027, SUCH DOLLAR AMOUNT BEING THE FIRST FULL FISCAL YEAR INCREASE, AND ANNUALLY THEREAFTER BY WHATEVER AMOUNTS ARE RAISED BY A LEVY OF 4 MILLS UPON EACH DOLLAR OF ASSESSED VALUATION OF ALL TAXABLE PROPERTY WITHIN THE DISTRICT, FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES, INCLUDING:

  • FUNDING STAFF COMPENSATION INCLUDING INCREASING BASE SALARY;
  • RETAINING AND RECRUITING QUALIFIED TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF; AND
  • IMPROVING EMPLOYEE BENEFITS;

AND SHALL SUCH TAX INCREASE BE AN ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAX MILL LEVY IN EXCESS OF THE LEVY AUTHORIZED FOR THE DISTRICT’S GENERAL FUND, WITHOUT LIMITATION AS TO RATE, PURSUANT TO AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 22-54-108, C.R.S.; AND SHALL THE DISTRICT BE AUTHORIZED TO COLLECT, RETAIN AND SPEND ALL REVENUES FROM SUCH TAXES AND THE EARNINGS FROM THE INVESTMENT OF SUCH REVENUES AS A VOTER APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE AND AN EXCEPTION TO THE LIMITS WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE APPLY UNDER ARTICLE X, SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION?

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