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School board members push back after county proposes $3M reduction in revenue sharing
Summary
Board members reacted strongly to staff reports that the county asked to reduce traditional revenue sharing, saying the cut would squeeze raises and services. Several members urged public transparency and media attention.
Board members at the March 11 Reno County School Board budget work session sharply questioned a county request to reduce revenue sharing by $3 million, saying the change would force the division to cut services or accept smaller staff raises.
What staff reported: An administrator told the board that the county had initially asked for a $4.5 million reduction in transfers and, after discussion, reduced the ask to $3 million. The administrator said the change followed the county’s own review of revenues and commitments to other county priorities.
Board reaction: Multiple board members described the county’s approach as insufficiently transparent and said the reduction would materially constrain the division’s ability to fund raises and other priorities. One board member said the county’s action felt like "dropping" the change without a public meeting and urged notifying the community. Another member framed the issue as a choice by county leadership to prioritize other projects (such as a new library and a county center) over school funding.
Why it matters: Board members said the proposed reduction would reduce the division’s capacity to deliver competitive raises at a time when staff pay has lagged. They noted that a swing of a few million dollars is equivalent to meaningful percentage points of raises across staff and could affect hard-to-fill positions such as bus drivers and cafeteria staff.
Next steps: Board members urged staff to seek clarification from the county, consider public outreach, and continue shaping the FY27 budget conservatively using the lower state revenue estimate until county intentions are clarified.
