St. Helens budget committee approves $71.66 million 2025-26 budget, sets $5.0297 tax rate

The St. Helens School District 502 budget committee approved the district's proposed 2025-26 budget and set the property tax levy at its public meeting, approving a $71,662,276 total budget and a permanent-rate tax of $5.0297 per $1,000 of assessed value.

The committee voted to forward a proposed budget made up of a $40,490,302 general fund, $11,712,274 in special revenue funds, $8,890,800 in debt service funds and $10,570,000 in capital projects, for a grand total of $71,662,276. Committee members also approved a general-obligation bond levy in the amount of $5,486,000. The motions passed on voice votes; the chair announced the motion carried.

The adoption vote sends the proposed budget to the St. Helens School District board for final adoption at the district's public hearing and board meeting scheduled for June 25; the superintendent reminded the committee that the budget must be adopted by state law by June 30 and that failure to meet county filing deadlines would have immediate financial consequences. "If our adopted budget is not into the county by July 15, we forego all property taxes for the 2526 school year," the superintendent said, underscoring the legal deadline for submission.

Why it matters: the district presented the budget in the context of a…