Washington approves LERTA

Washington School District homeowners will receive tax breaks for improving their property or building new homes.
The school board on Monday approved a five-year Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance resoluation by an 8-0 vote. Board member David Stotka was absent.
The LERTA will give residential property owners a 100 percent break on any increase in school taxes that would stem from up to $56,669 in improvements, including roofing, siding and windows, said district solicitor Ken Baker.
The LERTA also can be used for any new structure built on an existing lot in the school district, though the tax forgiveness will be for the entire amount of building a new home, he said.
Baker said he and Washington solicitor Lane Turturice looked at state law to determine if the dollar figure could be higher for improvements. However, that amount has to be determined by a state formula, he said.
Those who apply will get the LERTA for three years, Baker said.
He said he is sending a letter to the city, notifying representatives of the school board’s approval of the LERTA. The city and school board have worked together to draft the LERTA and Baker said a city vote may come soon.
He said it’s also possible that the county may sign on to the LERTA.
The school district’s LERTA is effective immediately.