Millard Public Schools holds two public hearings on proposed FY2026 budget and tax request

Millard Public Schools Board Committee met Aug. 4 for two public hearings required by Nebraska law on the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget and the property tax request to fund it. Administration presented a proposed 3.2% budget increase and described plans to keep the district's reserve near the 20% statutory maximum while lowering the levy slightly from 1.118 to 1.1124.

The hearings were intended to receive public comment on the proposed budget and related tax request. Doug Kagan, representing Nebraska Taxpayers for Freedom, spoke during the designated public comment period and praised district budget work, saying the district had “shifted over 13,000,000 onto local property taxpayers” after receiving less state aid than expected and that the district has maintained low per-student spending while scoring high on state assessments. Kagan also said the district earned his group's budget “5 stars.”

The administration presentation, delivered by Mr. Mieskier, summarized changes since a June 2 briefing and described how the district reduced a continuation budget increase of about 5.2% to the current proposed 3.2% through cuts and other…