North Bend SD 13 board adopts budget, approves property tax rate after public comment
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Summary
The North Bend School District 13 board adopted its fiscal-year budget for 2025–26 and approved a property tax rate after a night of public comment focused on the district’s music program. The budget adoption passed 5–2; the tax resolution passed unanimously.
North Bend, Ore. — The North Bend School District 13 Board of Directors voted on June 5 to adopt a fiscal-year budget for 2025–26 and to impose property taxes for the coming year after a public hearing that featured extensive community comment about the district’s music program.
The board approved a motion to adopt the budget (motion language read at the meeting) by a 5–2 vote. The board later approved a tax resolution setting the permanent tax rate for the general fund at $4.1626 per $1,000 of assessed value; that tax measure passed in a roll-call vote, 7–0.
The budget adoption motion was presented and read during the meeting as a resolution; however, the dollar total read aloud by district staff appeared inconsistently in the transcript (both $68,362,056 and $68,632,056 were read in different places). The board adopted the budget as read at the meeting and the district clerk noted the budget is on file at 1913 Mead Street in North Bend.
Board discussion on the resolution was brief; a motion to adopt was made and seconded on the record and the board took the vote after public comment. The tax resolution to impose and categorize taxes was read, moved and seconded, and carried unanimously in a roll-call vote that started with board member Dallas and recorded yes votes from attending members.
Public comment earlier in the meeting focused heavily on proposed staffing and program changes in the music department. Multiple parents, teachers and students urged the board not to ratify budget actions that commenters said would reduce or eliminate music instruction at the kindergarten–second grade level; those speakers asked the board to consider other budget reductions before cutting classroom staff. The board did not vote on specific music staffing at this meeting; the budget adoption provides the district’s legal spending authority for the fiscal year.
Votes at the meeting relating to finance: - Budget adoption (resolution read at the meeting): outcome — approved, vote 5–2. The specific dollar amount read aloud in the meeting transcript was inconsistent (see above). The adopted budget was recorded as on file at the district office. - Tax resolution (impose and categorize taxes for tax year 2025–26; general fund permanent rate): outcome — approved, vote 7–0. Rate read at the meeting: $4.1626 per $1,000.
The board clerk confirmed the adopted budget and tax documents will be retained in district records. The superintendent and board members thanked community members for attending and speaking during public participation.
