Waukegan CUSD 60 presents 2025–26 budget, projects $30 million gap and urges modest levy increase

Waukegan CUSD 60 Superintendent Teresa Placencia and the district finance team presented the adopted 2025–26 budget and a multi‑year financial overview during a public finance update livestream, saying the district expects revenue of about $270 million and budgeted expenditures of about $299 million for operating funds in fiscal 2026.

The presentation, led by Associate Superintendent of Business and Financial Services Gwendolyn Polk with contributions from finance team members Brian Luosa and Andy Latimore, summarized recent fiscal recognitions, long‑term budget planning, the district’s credit rating history and debt management, and steps the district is taking to avoid cuts that would affect student support.

Polk framed the district’s budget approach as intentionally transparent and strategic. "We want this to be an open and democratic process where we're transparent and we're collaborative with all of the stakeholders within our district community," she said. The district emphasized multi‑year planning and 0‑based budgeting to align resources to strategic priorities rather than simply rolling forward prior year allocations.

Why it matters: District leaders said the adopted budget includes a projected shortfall of roughly $30 million for the operating funds (education fund, operations and maintenance, transportation and working cash) but that the…