HCS HB 542 -- SCHOOL AID RECALCULATION FOR RIVERVIEW GARDENS

SPONSOR:  Wallace (Walsh)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Elementary
and Secondary Education by a vote of 13 to 0.

This substitute requires the Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education to recalculate the state school aid for the
Riverview Gardens School District due to the district setting its
levy in the capital projects fund instead of the incidental fund
in calendar year 2005.  The department must calculate the amount
the district would have received in state aid if the levy had
been correctly placed and use the revised aid figure to
distribute aid for Fiscal Year 2010 and subsequent years.  The
State Auditor must perform a follow-up to its 2007 audit on the
district's effort to address the audit's issues after the
2010-2011 school year, and the district is required to obtain an
independent appraisal prior to selling any property.

The substitute contains an emergency clause.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Cost on General Revenue Fund of
$8,490,350 in FY 2010, $1,578,885 in FY 2011, and $1,957,903 in
FY 2012.  No impact on Other State Funds in FY 2010, FY 2011, and
FY 2012.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that although mistakes were made in
the past, the district is making strides in improving both its
academic and financial performance.  The district falls about $2
million short annually in state aid as a result of its
incorrectly placed levy.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Walsh; Rhonda Key and
Tommy Pearson, Riverview Gardens School District; Missouri
National Education Association; and Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education.

OPPONENTS:  Those who oppose the bill say that the school board
does not listen to its constituents, and the administration has
more employees than similar districts.

Testifying against the bill was Arnie Dienoff.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated November 17, 2009 at 9:25 am