Hawthorne board reviews preliminary 2026–27 budget, says it will seek 7.42% maximum tax levy

The Hawthorne Public School District reviewed its preliminary 2026–27 budget at the board meeting, with the superintendent saying the board will seek the maximum allowable tax levy increase of 7.42% to stabilize district finances.

"Tonight we'll be approving our preliminary budget for the next school year," the superintendent said, describing a longer process that will include county review and a public hearing in April. He said rising costs—particularly in health care and operations—are affecting districts statewide and that Hawthorne has used reserves to soften near-term impacts while shifting toward a more sustainable path.

The superintendent said the district identified nearly $1,900,000 in reductions for the coming year and plans targeted capital work funded from capital reserves rather than the operating budget, including two high‑school bathroom upgrades and security vestibules at both the high school and middle school. He stressed that capital reserves cannot be used for day‑to‑day expenses such as staffing.

He also described the district's reserve balances and recent drawdowns: "At the conclusion of the 24‑25 school year, the district maintained approximately $5,350,000 across its capital and maintenance reserves," he said, and reported that the 25‑26 budget used about $1,730,000 of those reserves. Moving into 26‑27, he said an additional $1,800,000 is projected to be used, leaving roughly $1,830,000 in total reserves composed of capital and maintenance funds.

Board members acknowledged the difficulty of the budget work. A finance committee member noted the workload and thanked colleagues for their efforts; another member criticized rising health care costs and said the $3,000,000 figure for health care increases is "astronomical." The board discussed regional comparisons and the tradeoffs involved in protecting programs while maintaining fiscal stability.

The superintendent framed the board's approach as deliberate: use available reserves to manage short‑term pressures while pursuing a budget that stabilizes finances and preserves targeted facility investments. The district will present a more detailed analysis at a public hearing in April, at which time the community can review specifics such as program changes and the proposed levy. The transcript does not record a formal vote tonight approving the final budget; the board indicated next steps would include county review and the April hearing.

Note on transcript numbers: the superintendent's remarks included specific dollar figures for health care and reserves and also a phrase describing an increase "of over $2,600,000." Those statements appear in the transcript but are arithmetically inconsistent when compared; the article reports the numbers as spoken and notes the inconsistency for clarity.