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Bassett Unified projects multi-year deficits; district presents proposed 2025–26 budget
Summary
District finance staff presented the proposed 2025–26 budget showing a projected structural deficit in the unrestricted general fund and outlined assumptions including a 2.3% COLA, reduced LCFF per-ADA amounts and pension rate changes; the board opened and closed the required public hearing with no public speakers.
Barbara, the district budget presenter, told the board on Tuesday that the proposed 2025–26 budget reflects a 2.3% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) and small changes from the January proposal, and that the district will present a revised budget if the state enacted budget produces material changes.
She said the governor’s COLA estimate decreased from 2.43% to 2.3%, producing an estimated reduction in LCFF funding of about $17 per average daily attendance (ADA) and modest decreases to the base adjusted grant and supplemental/concentration dollars as reflected in the staff presentation.
The presentation included multi‑year projections showing the district continuing to experience structural deficit spending in the unrestricted general fund: staff reported a projected deficit of approximately $2.45 million for 2025–26, $1.7 million for 2026–27 and a continued draw on fund balance in out years unless adjustments are made. Barbara said the district is taking actions across staffing, supplies and services to reduce the deficit.
Staff noted a small favorable change in retirement contribution rates: the CalPERS employer rate was reported to fall from about 27.40% to 26.81%; by contrast, workers’ compensation rates rose from 2.04% to 2.40% and health and welfare caps increased per negotiated agreements. The district’s projection assumed a funded ADA based on prior-year attendance, reflecting recent attendance increases.
The budget presenter said unrestricted LCFF revenue for 2025–26 is projected in the staff materials at roughly $43.0 million; restricted program revenues (Title I, special education, after‑school, Title II/III) were shown separately. The presentation showed salaries and benefits as the largest expenditure categories (roughly 57%–57.5% combined) and the district’s required 3% routine restricted maintenance allocation.
The board opened the statutorily required public hearing on the 2025–26 proposed budget at 6:28 p.m.; no members of the public spoke and the hearing was closed. Board members discussed the charted improvements in projected deficits compared with the interim report and thanked staff for planning; the board did not adopt the budget at the June 10 meeting and staff said adoption is scheduled for the June 24 meeting.
