Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Finance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board adopts 2025–26 certified budget and property tax levy after presentation from district finance staff
Summary
The board approved the district's certified budget for fiscal 2025–26 and the property tax levy after a presentation showing declining assessed valuation, enrollment decreases, and a $686,000 budget guarantee from the state.
The Burlington Community School District board approved certification of the 2025–26 budget and the corresponding property tax levy at its April 14 meeting after a detailed presentation by district finance staff.
Staff presented the certified budget document that districts submit to the state Department of Management and the county treasurer and explained that certification both sets the district's maximum authorized expenditures and directs the county treasurer to levy property taxes for the coming school year. The presentation covered district revenue components, enrollment and weighting changes that affect state aid, and the district's combined expenditure authority.
The district reported a roughly 12.5% decline in assessed taxable valuation, which staff said increased the levy rate needed to raise a given revenue amount. Staff said the state will provide property‑tax relief estimated at about $1.20 per $100,000 of home value for the district, and that the district's budget guarantee for 2025–26 was roughly $686,000. Staff also said the state set the district cost per pupil next year at $7,983.
Staff reviewed the district's 12 funds and highlighted the general fund as the primary operating fund; they also explained the management fund (used for insurance and retirement liabilities), the physical plant/equipment fund (PPEL) and the SAFE/ sales‑tax fund being used for high‑school improvements. Staff noted that general‑fund spending authority is driven by certified enrollment, which on Oct. 1 measured about 3,673 students for the district and has declined over the last decade by nearly 1,000 students.
The presentation included historical trends and specific line items: staff said regular program revenue (combined with a $632,000 budget guarantee component) produced a small amount of new money for 2025–26 — about $241,000 (roughly 0.8% new money) — after enrollment and weighting changes. Supplemental weighting grew in several categorical areas and special‑education weighting increased. Staff also described a district effort to reduce expenditures by $1.75 million for next year across many categories as a response to revenue pressures.
Board members asked clarifying questions about assumptions in the budget presentation, the mechanics of the state's funding formula, and the ability to amend the budget if necessary. Staff confirmed the budget can be amended later if actual expenditures or revenue projections require it.
A motion to accept the certified budget and levy as presented carried by voice vote.
