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Finance director outlines 2026–27 budget calendar, warns of state-aid sensitivity

Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District Board of Education · January 27, 2026
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Summary

District finance staff presented the 2026–27 budget calendar, described uncertainty around equalization aid and revenue-limit mechanics, and said early projections show a mild deficit with a CPI assumption of 2.63 percent.

Blaze, the district’s finance lead, walked the Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District board through the 2026–27 budget calendar on Jan. 26 and sketched early revenue and expenditure projections.

Blaze described a color-coded calendar that separates board tasks, senior-leader responsibilities and required state filings. He said Wisconsin’s biennial budgeting and changes to revenue limits and equalization aid make the district particularly sensitive to state-level adjustments. Blaze noted that the district’s early projections show a "very, very mild deficit" given current assumptions but cautioned that equalization aid is difficult to project because it depends on how other districts’ property values and spending per pupil change.

Blaze reported a certified Consumer Price Index figure of 2.63 percent for the district’s assumptions and said early modeling implies a possible 5–6 percent local tax increase under current scenarios. He emphasized these are projections and that the board will review formal budget assumptions at the Feb. 23 meeting.

During the December financial report discussion, Blaze said revenue is generally tracking projections, interest earnings have declined since a June 2024 peak and expenditures are on pace. He reported the district’s fund balance is healthy compared with prior years.

Next steps: The board expects a full presentation of budget assumptions and a deeper equalization-aid analysis at the February 23 meeting; administrators said they are working with Baird to test numbers and assumptions.