By MOFreePress
Every year, taxpayers in Eldon collectively contribute more than $9 million to fund the local school district. For the average household, that works out to thousands of dollars per year — often without residents realizing how much they are paying.
By examining publicly available financial reports from the Eldon R-I School District, we can estimate how much local taxpayers contribute annually to fund their schools.
According to the district’s tax rate hearing documents, the school district collects approximately $9,196,739 in local property taxes each year. These funds are generated through the district’s property tax levy, set at $3.5431 per $100 of assessed property value.
The funds are divided into two main categories:
$7,763,147 for general school operations (the incidental fund)
$1,433,592 for debt service, which pays for bonds and long-term obligations
Together, these categories represent the portion of the district’s budget funded directly by local taxpayers.
How Much Does the Average Household Pay?
The city of Eldon has roughly 2,000 households, which provides a rough estimate of local taxpayers. If we divide the total local property tax revenue by the number of households: $9,196,739 ÷ 2,000 households ≈ $4,600 per household per year.
That means the average Eldon household is effectively contributing about $4,600 annually toward funding the local school district.
Considering the Entire District
The Eldon R-I School District covers a larger area than just the city limits. When households across the entire district are included (estimated at ~5,000), the average contribution drops: $9,196,739 ÷ 5,000 households ≈ $1,800 per household per year.
What Percentage of the School’s Funding Comes From Taxpayers?
Including all funding sources such as state funding, federal programs, grants, and local property taxes. The district receives roughly $25 million in total annual revenue.
With $9.2 million coming from local property taxes, taxpayers are responsible for about 37 percent of the district’s total funding. In other words, more than one-third of the district’s operating money comes directly from the people who live and work in the community.
Why This Matters
Understanding how public money is collected and spent is an important part of civic engagement. Local taxpayers contribute millions of dollars each year to fund schools, which makes transparency and accountability essential.
Citizens have every right to ask questions about how these funds are managed, where the money goes, and how effectively it is being used to educate the children of the community. After all, the school district is not funded by the government alone. It is funded by the people who live and work here.
We Want to Hear From You
With millions of dollars coming from local taxpayers every year, we want to hear from the community: do you feel your contributions are making the difference you expect in Eldon’s schools?
Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available financial data. We are not accountants, and these figures are estimates intended for informational purposes only.