Gateway School District board approves 2025-26 budget after extended debate

The Gateway School District Board of School Directors voted to approve the district's final general fund budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year at its June meeting, after a two-hour discussion among board members about possible cuts and the district's reliance on state funding.

Board members were presented a reported budget amount described in the meeting record as "98,000,000 a hundred and $74,381," and a millage rate of 25.2718 mills for the 2025-26 fiscal year. The board debated whether to delay the vote to solicit more public input or to adopt the budget on schedule.

Supporters of immediate passage argued the district needed an adopted budget to fund ongoing operations, capital work such as planned roofs and staffing, and to avoid running a deficit. Several board members and administrators urged that state funding shortfalls and large refunds the district has paid in prior years constrained options for deeper cuts.

Other board members said they remained unconvinced administrators had identified specific expenditure reductions that would total roughly the 3.4% reduction some directors sought. Multiple directors said they had not seen concrete, prioritized cut lists that would enable a short postponement and decisive, targeted reductions without risk to programs and staffing.

After debate the board moved and seconded the budget motion and held a roll call vote on the package of Section 8 items, which included the final general fund budget. Recorded votes on those section-8 items in the meeting record were: Missus Burns ' Aye; Missus Delaney ' Aye; Missus Bridal ' Aye; Missus Lumen ' Aye; Mister Ritter ' Aye; Doctor Singh ' Aye; Missus Morning ' No; Missus Boyce ' Aye; Mister Bobo ' Aye. The motion carried.

Board members and staff discussed how state funding formulas, including adequacy/Basic Education funding, have disadvantaged the district relative to neighboring districts that received materially larger adequacy awards in recent rounds. Directors noted the district received substantially less adequacy funding than some neighbors and said that gap factors into the need to raise local revenue.

Directors also discussed local revenue volatility tied to property assessments and commercial property refunds the district has recently issued, and the potential future benefit if large commercial redevelopment projects come to fruition.

The meeting record shows the board elected to adopt the budget rather than delay the vote. The board directed administration to continue pursuing grants and other external funding and to provide the board with ongoing budget information and potential cuts for future consideration.