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St. Joseph officials outline FY27 $4.2M shortfall and propose levy-transfer option
Summary
At a St. Joseph School District work session, staff projected a potential $4.2 million deficit by FY2027 and floated shifting debt-service levy dollars into operations (example: 10¢ ≈ $1.3M) and other cost-saving measures, including program adjustments to early learning and partnerships to reduce transportation costs.
Staff at a St. Joseph School District work session on an agenda item about the district guide and capital projects said the district faces mounting budget pressure and projected a potential $4.2 million shortfall by fiscal year 2027. The district’s presenter told the group a combination of lower state revenue projections and rising costs — including health-insurance increases cited by neighboring districts — are squeezing the operating budget.
Why it matters: District leaders said staffing makes up about three-quarters of spending, and they emphasized that cuts to academic positions would be a last resort. To close gaps, staff proposed both near-term and ballot options that would not increase the overall tax rate but would reallocate where tax dollars are counted.
At the…
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