What debt does TCU already have and how does the new referendum debt affect the tax levy? 

This new referendum debt will be paid off over 20 years, but is phased in as existing debt is paid off to keep the debt levy consistent:

• When ISD 392 (Le Center) and ISD 394 (Montgomery-Lonsdale) districts merged, each brought in pre-existing debt that will be paid off in 2035. The amounts are different due to pre-established payment schedules for each previous district. (Blue and orange bars in the chart below)

• TCU has existing debt from 2018 that will be paid off in 2039. (Green bars in the chart below)

• The new referendum debt will have payments due beginning in 2027 and will continue through 2046. (Light-blue bars in the chart below)

• As the payment amounts for the existing debt change (2032, 2036, and 2040), the payment amount for the new referendum debt is phased in/adjusted so that the total debt levy amount remains consistent. (Red line in the chart below)

• Beginning in 2040, the only remaining payments will be for the new referendum debt, since all prior debt will have been paid off.

• This allows the district to maximize the investment in facilities while minimizing tax impacts.

How to Read the Tax Impact Table (see below) — and Why the Numbers Differ by Community? 

The table explains how the referendum affects different property types and why the amounts vary between the former ISD 394 (Montgomery–Lonsdale) and ISD 392 (Le Center). The differences come from old debt each district brought into the merger, which is being paid off on different payment schedules.

Property types included:

• Residential Homestead

• Commercial / Industrial

• Agricultural Homestead (includes the 70% Ag2School tax credit)

• Agricultural Non-Homestead (includes the 70% Ag2School tax credit)

Separate columns for former districts:

• The table shows estimates for properties in both ISD 394 and ISD 392. Because each district had different levels of debt at the time of merger, the impact looks different until that old debt is fully retired.

How payments are structured:

• The referendum repayment schedule is designed so new payments replace older debt payments as they retire. This keeps the district’s overall debt service levy relatively steady over the next 20 years. (See bar chart above.)

How to read the columns:

• First column (blue) – Estimated annual tax impact for taxes payable in 2026, compared to 2025.

• Second column (red) – Estimated annual tax impact for taxes payable in 2027, compared to 2026.

• Third column (green) – The combined annual tax impact starting in 2027 and continuing each year after. This shows the total change from 2025 and stays consistent until the referendum debt is fully paid off. (Annual and Monthly)

Why do ISD 394 and ISD 392 show different amounts?

• Each former district had pre-existing debt at the time of the merger.

• That debt is being paid off on different schedules and in different amounts each year.

• The referendum debt is applied equally across all properties in the TCU district.

• Because of the different paydown schedules of the old debt, the overall impact looks slightly different in each former district until all pre-merger debt is retired in 2035.