News Summary
The Logan County School Board has approved a proposal for a construction Nickel Tax to be placed on the November ballot, aimed at funding crucial improvements for Auburn Elementary School. With student enrollment growing, the current facilities are inadequate. The proposed tax would generate significant revenue for a new facility on a 30-acre site, addressing both safety and educational needs while helping the district improve its tax ranking in Kentucky. The board plans to engage the community for support as they approach the upcoming election.
Auburn — The Logan County School Board has approved a proposal to place a construction Nickel Tax on the November 2026 ballot, aimed at funding essential operations and improvements for Auburn Elementary School. This decision was made during the board meeting held on August 26, 2025, in response to increasing demands for student accommodations in the district.
The proposed tax, which represents a more than 4% increase from the previous year’s tax—now recalled—aims to address the imminent need for modern facilities. Auburn Elementary, which has been experiencing significant growth—averaging an increase of approximately 30 students annually over the last four years—requires a new facility to adequately serve its expanding student body. Current redistricting efforts to manage this growth have provided some temporary relief but have proven insufficient in the long term.
The new construction is planned for a 30-acre property just outside Auburn and is expected to generate over a million dollars annually, allowing for improvements and renovations that are critically needed. Logan County’s current school district tax rates are among the lowest in Kentucky, placing them in the bottom 12% of districts statewide. The Nickel Tax would elevate the school tax to approximately 52.2 cents, improving Logan County’s ranking from 151 to 130 out of 171 districts across the state.
Superintendent Dan Costellow has emphasized the importance of adequate facilities for ensuring student safety and enhancing learning opportunities. The current structure of Auburn Elementary is outdated, with parts of the building dating back to 1958. Renovation possibilities are limited under the existing conditions, making a new construction project crucial.
If the Nickel Tax does not pass, the school board may need to consider further student redistricting to avoid overpopulation in Auburn Elementary. This could lead to disruptions for families and students, as well as strain the resources of other schools within the district.
In addition to the concerns regarding student capacity, community members previously filed a petition that successfully garnered enough signatures to challenge the tax proposal and bring it to a public vote. School officials believe that increased communication and community engagement efforts will be necessary to inform the public about the benefits of the tax and potentially convert opposition into support.
The timeline for construction of the new Auburn Elementary School, if the tax passes, is planned to conclude within three years. In contrast, without the funding support from the Nickel Tax, the project could extend the construction timeline to as long as ten years, further delaying necessary improvements.
As the November 2026 election approaches, the Logan County School Board is committed to educating the community about the urgent needs of Auburn Elementary and the role the Nickel Tax will play in addressing those needs. The development of a modern facility is crucial to accommodating the district’s growing population and maintaining a high standard of education for its students.
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Additional Resources
- WBKO: Logan County Schools Vote on Construction Nickel Tax
- Wikipedia: Nickel Tax
- Franklin Favorite: Another Relevant News Article
- Google Search: Logan County Schools Nickel Tax
- News Channel Nebraska: Logan County Encourages Extension of Sales Tax
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Public Finance
- WBKO: New Logan County Nickel Tax Added to Fund Area Schools
- Google News: Logan County Schools
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