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L'Anse Creuse board holds Truth-in-Taxation hearing, approves amended 2024-25 and 2025-26 budgets
Summary
After a required Truth-in-Taxation hearing, the L'Anse Creuse Public Schools Board approved a final amended 2024-25 budget and the original 2025-26 budget, following a presentation by CFO Cathy Coonan on revenue uncertainty and projected shortfalls.
The L'Anse Creuse Public Schools Board of Education opened a Truth-in-Taxation hearing June 23 and approved a final amended 2024-25 budget and the district's original 2025-26 budget after presentation and discussion by Chief Financial Officer Cathy Coonan.
Coonan told the board the hearing is required under the Uniform Budgeting and Accounting Act and said the district faces uncertainty from state revenue projections and other variables. She said the current fiscal year is projected to end with roughly a $6.9 million shortfall and the coming year is projected at a $3.9 million shortfall under current assumptions, although both figures may change as actuals are finalized during summer audits.
The presentation said the district's total budget is roughly $140 million, and that about 80% of revenue comes from the state. Coonan outlined assumptions used in the draft, including an anticipated 150-student enrollment decline and a per-pupil assumption of $9,392 (presented as $392 per student in the meeting remarks when explaining an assumption). She also described $7.5 million in cuts already taken to reduce pressures and noted that 88% of expenditures are wages and benefits.
After questions from board members, the board voted to accept the final amended 02/2025 budget (motion by Mr. Doss, support by Mr. De Villa) and then to approve the 2025-26 original budget (motion by Mr. Doss, support by Mr. Cypress). Both motions were approved by voice vote; the meeting record shows the motions carried.
Coonan also explained fund-specific details, including the food and nutrition fund's excess-balance rules, the student activity fund's nature as many groups' fundraising accounts, and bond fund accounting for ongoing capital projects. She said the district tracks bond projects separately and that active bond projects would increase spending in the coming year. Coonan reviewed proposed millage language and noted the district's non-homestead millage and a required rollback calculation that currently reduces levy capacity to about 17.42 mills for non-homestead property until voter action could restore the full 18 mills.
Board members thanked the business office for the work on the budgets and asked for continued updates as state proposals evolve. The board opened the hearing by roll call at 7:07 p.m. and closed it by roll call at 7:28 p.m. before votes later in the meeting to adopt the recommended budgets.
The board will return to regular reporting and final audit numbers after year-end accounting and state decisions. The CFO said auditors will run final numbers in August and further amendments may follow if required.
