St. Paul Public Schools could raise property taxes as much as 6.9 percent next year, with much of the new revenue paying for facilities improvements.

Related Articles Distance learning deal with St. Paul teachers calls for ‘regular’ — not necessarily daily — live teaching

St. Paul City Council debates halting charter school bond requests for six months

St. Paul district to prioritize special education, elementary grades if schools reopen next month

How much live instruction should we expect from teachers? St. Paul union argues for once a week

St. Paul district to pay student $48,000 for teacher’s ‘achievement gap’ remarks

The board typically levies the maximum under state law, and members gave no indication during a meeting Tuesday that they might depart from that tradition.

The state will provide a final number by the end of the month, but the latest calculation puts the district’s maximum possible levy at $158.4 million — an increase of $10.3 million, or 6.9 percent.

The levy accounts for about one-fifth of the district’s revenues, paying for infrastructure, general operations, retiree benefits and community education.

Most of the increase will go toward facilities improvements, including a new school for special-education students at 1050 N. Kent St. The district is in its second year of a rolling five-year master plan that dramatically increases facilities spending.

The board is expected to set the levy ceiling Sept. 19, hold a public hearing Dec. 5 and take final action Dec. 19.

The city of St. Paul and Ramsey County are considering property tax increases, too.

Under a cost-shifting proposal from Mayor Chris Coleman, the city levy would jump by 23.9 percent but be offset by a reduction in right-of-way fees.

Ramsey County is weighing a 4.3 percent levy increase.

As proposed, the owner of a median-value home assessed at $173,900 can expect to pay $54 more for schools compared to this year, $42 more to the county and $12 more to the city, plus a $65 increase in city utilities fees.