Dear Editor, If the Excelsior Springs School Board gets its way, your property taxes will increase significantly again. As reported on December 10, 2024, the Excelsior Springs School Board “discussed a proposal to raise the district’s operating tax levy ceiling by $0.70, bringing it to $5.3089 per $100 of assessed valuation,” and “the resolution to place the question on the ballot was unanimously approved by board members present.”As is usually the case, huge tax increases are disguised as benign-sounding language. Seventy cents doesn’t sound like much until one does the math.The current total property tax rate for Clay County residents in Excelsior Springs is $7.0294 per $100 of assessed valuation. Therefore, a $0.70 increase in the rate would actually increase it by 9.96% (0.7 / 7.0294 = 9.96%).According to Realtor.com, the annual tax on a $250,000 property in Excelsior Springs is approximately $2,300. If this tax increase passes, the property owne...