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Beatrice Public Schools previews 2024–25 budget; proposes lower levy and tax asking
Summary
District staff previewed the 2024–25 budget, citing projected state‑aid bumps tied to a two‑year new‑school adjustment, an 8% valuation increase, and proposed reductions to the general fund levy from 88¢ to 84¢ while proposing an overall tax request of $16,883,579.
District staff presented the 2024–25 budget preview and the related tax‑hearing notice, outlining revenue, expenditure and levy projections.
Speaker 4 described enrollment counting (Oct. 1 ADM) and said the district’s current slide listed 2,119 students. The presenter said a two‑year new‑school adjustment factor tied to the new elementary school would raise state aid by about 40% in the first year and about 20% in the next year, then tapering afterward unless enrollment grows. Speaker 4 said valuations were up approximately 8%, which the district must consider in levy calculations.
On expenditures and revenues, staff said the district’s total adjusted general fund disbursements with SPED included were $32,370,256 and that available unused budget authority and carryover produced a total budget expenditures figure of $32,770,256. The presenter stated a proposed reduction of the operating budget by 1% and proposed lowering the general fund levy from 88¢ to 84¢, which he described as a 4% reduction in the tax rate. For the special building fund, staff proposed reducing the operating budget from $5,100,000 to about $4,000,000 and reducing that levy from 13.9¢ to 12.7¢.
Speaker 4 said the district’s overall tax request last year was presented as about $16.31 million (transcript figure garbled) and this year’s total ask was shown in the packet as $16,883,579; staff also presented an overall district tax rate change from $1.04 to 99.7¢ and described the net effect as a roughly 5% reduction in the tax rate overall. Staff further noted the Quality Capital Purpose Undertaking Fund (QCPAF) remains limited by a 2.5¢ cap; the district is collecting 2.3¢ and expects to retire that fund in or around 2026.
Speaker 4 recommended the board plan to hold the budget and tax hearing at the regular September meeting rather than attend the joint public hearing scheduled for Sept. 19 because the district’s growth numbers keep it under the two‑percent joint‑hearing threshold. Staff said slides and a public explanation for the tax hearing would be made available.
