Budget committee approves proposed 2026–27 budget, sets permanent tax rate and $7 million debt levy

The Newberg‑Dundee Public Schools budget committee on May 5 approved the district’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2026–27, then unanimously adopted a permanent tax rate of $4.6616 per $1,000 and approved a $7 million ad valorem tax levy for debt service.

The committee’s action came after staff walked members through multiple budget documents and a question‑and‑answer packet covering salaries, benefits, PERS projections and enrollment trends. Committee members discussed differing data snapshots used in charts, the district’s three‑year participation in a study of pension obligation bonds and the effect of declining enrollment on state revenue estimates.

The motion to approve the proposed budget was moved from the floor and seconded; the committee then held voice votes. Chair called for votes from members attending online; Dawn Pawson and Megan Roger Cernicki were recorded voting "aye" as part of a unanimous voice vote to adopt the budget and subsequent tax motions.

Staff emphasized that the budget approved is a plan and that numbers will be refined before board adoption and as new information (for example, final PERS rates) becomes available. The committee acknowledged the plan may require additional adjustments later in the fiscal year and that the board will take the final adoption action in June.

The committee also voted to set the district’s permanent tax rate at 4.6616 per $1,000 for the 2026–27 fiscal year and to levy $7,000,000 in ad valorem taxes for debt service; both motions carried by unanimous voice vote.