Central Valley board reviews proposed $47.2 million budget, notes 0.51 tax increase

The Central Valley School Board on May 14 reviewed a preliminary proposed final general budget for the 2025–26 school year showing $46,621,225 in revenues and $47,176,676 in expenditures, and staff said the proposal "reflects a 0.51 tax increase." The budget and related finance items were presented during the board's workshop meeting; no final vote on the budget was recorded in the transcript of the session.

Why it matters: The district's proposed spending exceeds expected revenues in the draft budget presented to the board, and school officials said the budget includes a tax-rate increase. Under the school code cited by staff, final adoption occurs after a 30-day period following tentative adoption and the budget must be made available for public review before final adoption.

At the meeting, Mr. O'Neil, staff member, introduced the pay-bills report and listed three April 2025 payment confirmations submitted for board approval: the general fund payments totaling $1,928,283.98, cafeteria fund payments of $79,367.24, and construction fund payments of $0. The board packet also included the April 2025 Berkheimer report, which staff presented for consideration but for which the transcript shows no recorded board vote.

Mr. Ambrose, staff member, presented additional finance items later in the meeting, including requests to exonerate several property owners from collection of unpaid 2024 real-estate taxes (the transcript lists three exoneration requests with the amounts and penalties shown in the board materials) and health- and benefits-related renewals. Ambrose told the board the Highmark health-insurance renewal for 2025–26 reflects a 16% increase in monthly premiums. He also presented two-year renewals for vision insurance through Vision Benefits of America (rates shown as no increase, including $6.35 monthly for employee-only coverage) and Guardian Dental (two-year renewal with listed monthly rates and no increase).

Ambrose presented the tentative adoption of the preliminary/proposed final general budget for 2025–26 and read the revenue and expenditure totals referenced above. The transcript does not record a motion or vote on final adoption of the budget at this meeting.

Other finance items presented included employee benefit-rate tables and related renewal paperwork. Staff noted the statutory review and public-notice steps that must occur before a final budget is adopted, as cited in the board materials as "School code mandates final adoption of this budget after 30 days following tentative adoption and the budget to be available for public review of 20 days prior to final adoption." The transcript does not identify any formal motions or votes on the budget or renewals during the workshop session.

What happens next: The board must follow the public-notice and review timeline described in the materials before a final vote. Questions or requests for additional detail by board members that would affect final adoption were not recorded in the transcript excerpt.

Sources: Finance and budget items as read into the record by Mr. O'Neil and Mr. Ambrose during the Central Valley School Board workshop on May 14, 2025.