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Omaha Public Schools seeks $409.2 million in property taxes, citing staff compensation and transportation costs
Summary
Omaha Public Schools (OPS) proposed a property tax request of about $409.2 million and a levy increase of 2.2¢ to fund staff compensation, retention, recruiting and transportation; OPS said property taxes make up 38% of combined revenues for levy‑funding funds.
Shane Ryan, chief financial officer for Omaha Public Schools (OPS), told the joint hearing that the district’s property tax request for 2025–26 is $409,227,765 and that the proposed levy will be $1.130122 per $100 of assessed value, a 2.2¢ increase from the prior year.
Ryan said OPS’s combined funds that levy property taxes rely on property tax revenue for roughly 38% of combined revenues, with more than half of overall funding coming from state aid, existing cash reserves and potential refinancing of bond proceeds. He said the district’s general fund operating budget would increase by $38 million (4.68%), and that more than 60% of that increase goes to staff compensation and benefits.
Ryan described a recent history of levy changes tied to capital projects and noted the district offered “historic property tax relief” in the prior year by reducing the levy almost 11¢. This year OPS proposes a modest levy increase to support compensation, staff retention and a new bus vendor to maintain reliable transportation.
Ryan supplied contact information for residents seeking more detailed financial documents and noted the district’s tax request figure excludes the county treasurer’s 1% collection commission.
