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Council highlights board of school estimate showing 8.86% initial increase to school portion of property tax
Summary
Council members said the Board of School Estimate’s initial budget cut would raise the school share of property taxes by 8.86%; council leaders urged resident engagement and noted city budget timelines are still being finalized.
Council leaders at the March 4 Common Council meeting urged residents to follow the Board of School Estimate’s budget process after members were told the school district’s initial budget cut would increase the school portion of property taxes by 8.86 percent.
Council President McTiernan and council members said the city’s share of the property tax bill is “only low 20%” while the school share is “over 50%,” and that an 8.86 percent increase to the school portion is a significant number that should prompt public engagement. Council members encouraged residents to attend the Board of School Estimate meeting scheduled for Thursday, March 27 at Wilson Primary Center.
City Administrator Baldwin and finance committee members said they are still compiling year-end financial reports and waiting for several state numbers needed to finalize the operating budget. The finance committee has been working with department heads to prioritize capital projects; council members said they hope to introduce a municipal budget in coming weeks but cautioned that timing may slip as staff complete required filings.
Public commenters raised related fiscal questions. Resident Diego Houck asked when the city would post annual debt statements, when final 2023 revenues and appropriations would be available, and asked for final costs on executed 2024 capital projects. He urged the council to “preserve cash and liquidity as well as debt reductions” and requested timely public disclosure of financial details to help residents understand trade-offs.
Councilwoman Toth summarized the process the finance committee has used to reduce the capital request, asking department heads and council members to rank priorities so the committee could make “hard decisions.” She said the administration is continuing to compile supporting documents and that the annual budget schedule remains subject to updates.
Why it matters: property-tax allocation between municipal and school budgets determines the share of residents’ bills controlled by each entity; an 8.86 percent tentative increase to the school portion drew council attention and a call for public participation.
Ending: Council members urged residents to monitor posted documents and attend upcoming budget hearings; the city administrator said the annual budget summary (ABS) would be posted the following day.
