Ketchikan school board approves first reading of FY26 budget after heated public criticism

The Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District Board of Education approved the district’s draft fiscal year 2025–26 budget on first reading at its April 23 meeting, voting 5–1 to move the plan to a second public reading next week.

The budget passed with votes from Board members Paul Robbins Jr., Hewitt, Vice President Tabb, Stephen Thomas and President Catherine Tatsuta. Member Ginter cast the lone no vote, saying she was not yet comfortable approving a first reading without more time to review.

The vote followed a public hearing in which several residents sharply criticized the budget document as incomplete and inconsistent. “There are so many zeros and dashes where there should actually be numbers,” said resident Ms. Urquhart during citizen remarks, citing discrepancies she found between line items and asserting the budget showed a $4,000,000 beginning fund balance deficit based on the district audit.

District business manager Daniel Schueller, joining the meeting by Zoom to present the budget, said the $4,000,000 figure cited by…