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Provo School Board reviews FY-26 budget proposals and schedules Truth in Taxation hearing
Summary
Board staff presented the proposed fiscal 2026 budget, outlined capital projects and salary increases, and said a Truth in Taxation hearing will be held Aug. 12; the board will consider tentative FY‑26 approval in June and final levy action after state basic‑rate numbers arrive.
The Provo City School Board on June 10 reviewed the district’s proposed fiscal 2026 budget, including planned salary increases, capital projects and a draft levy plan that will trigger a Truth in Taxation hearing on Aug. 12.
Board members and district finance staff said the FY‑26 budget reflects a mix of one‑time bond proceeds, modest state revenue increases and targeted tax levy requests to cover continuing costs including retiree insurance and growing self‑insurance payments.
The board’s finance director said FY‑25 results include transfers from the general fund to the capital fund and a $3 million transfer to the self‑insurance fund to cover higher claim costs. “That covers the debt service payment for the municipal building authority bonds from 02/2022,” the director said in the study session. The district plans to use some bond proceeds to delay the need for immediate additional tax increases.
Why it matters: the budget covers salaries for roughly 4,000 staff and capital needs including Tempe View construction and Wasatch Elementary repairs. Staff said salary and benefits increases account for most recurring cost growth; capital projects and construction produce large, but often one‑time, budget swings.
Key details - Staff summarized salary actions negotiated this spring: an ongoing step increase for all employees plus group‑specific percentage increases and state legislative supplements. Deputy Superintendent Jason Cox said, “So all the employees get a level increase, which means that, you know, on the salary schedule, they'll move.” - The district plans to use a mix of fund balance and a proposed $2 million local tax increase to cover recurring costs; staff said higher local property valuations reduce the tax rate needed to capture that revenue. - The district will present the tentative FY‑26 budget at the June 24 meeting and submit required public notices; Truth in Taxation procedures will follow the county schedule, with the hearing set for Aug. 12 at 7 p.m. at the PDC.
Board and staff said they will not finalize levy rates until the state issues final basic‑rate numbers (statutory data that affects the state/local revenue split) and county valuation confirmations, expected in mid‑June. Staff emphasized the district intends small, incremental changes rather than large one‑time hikes.
Background and next steps District staff walked the board through program priorities that influenced the budget: instructional coaches and curriculum, special‑education staffing and school safety initiatives. They also reviewed capital allowances for roofing, flooring and site work; the FY‑26 budget anticipates continued spending on Tempe View and other projects.
The board does not vote on final levy rates in the study session. The district plans a formal vote on a tentative FY‑26 budget at the June 24 business meeting and will hold the Truth in Taxation hearing in August before any final tax rate adoption.
The board asked staff to prepare clearer materials on school‑level staffing projections, the effect of valuation changes on individual property bills and detailed capital‑project carryovers ahead of the June 24 meeting.
