Whitnall School District annual meeting approves $19.7 million levy after budget hearing as state aid falls

Whitnall School District electors approved a proposed $19,726,487 tax levy for the 2025–26 school year at the district’s annual meeting after a budget hearing where the district presented a preliminary, balanced budget.

John Durr, the district’s business manager who presented the budget, told attendees the numbers shown were projections based on August data and would be finalized in October when student counts, open-enrollment figures, state-aid calculations and assessed values are certified. “The budget I’m presenting tonight is a balanced budget,” he said, while cautioning that final numbers could shift when the Department of Public Instruction and the Department of Revenue provide updated figures.

Durr said the tax increase is driven primarily by a drop in state aid. He told the meeting that, despite a $325 per-pupil increase in the state biennial budget, Whitnall lost about $1.56 million in state aid compared with the prior year; to cover that gap the district projects taxes will have to increase, yielding the $19.7 million levy and an estimated mill rate of about 7.42 per $1,000 (final cents could change with October calculations).

The budget presentation outlined key pressures: salaries and benefits account for roughly 63% of the general fund (about $21 million of a $33 million fund-10 budget); special-education spending (fund 27) requires an annual transfer from fund 10 — Durr said the district budgeted roughly $3.7–3.8 million for that transfer this year and expects fund-27 expenditures of about $6.85 million. The biennium budget raised special-education aid to a stated 42% in the law; Whitnall is conservatively budgeting to receive about 39–40%.

Durr also described a substantial open-enrollment surplus — roughly 314 students — that the district estimates will net about $2.6 million in additional revenue (after related costs). Debt-service obligations previously approved in a referendum were listed in the levy: a fund-39 referendum debt component was projected at about $5.25 million, and a 2018 State Trust Fund loan (fund 38) remains payable over the coming years.

Board treasurer Cassie Rener highlighted the district’s fund-balance strategy and conservative financial approach, noting Whitnall ended fiscal 2024–25 with a reported $1.1 million surplus and that strong reserves have helped the district avoid short-term borrowing and secure better bond ratings. Rener said the district is earmarking funds for capital improvements and exploring options for future staff compensation.

Public comment reflected local support for the district’s approach and criticism of state funding. Long-time attendee Quinn Brunette praised the district’s fiscal responsibility and credited past and current staff and boards for avoiding operational referendums. Resident Carla Dupant said the Legislature’s decisions not to increase school funding shifted a burden to property owners and cited a reported $4.5 billion state surplus in 2023–24 as evidence that state choices, not district management, were driving the tax increase; Dupant said she would vote to approve the proposed levy.

Votes at a glance — electors approved the following by voice vote (tallies not recorded in the transcript): - Resolution A: Set the 2025–26 tax levy at $19,726,487 (Fund 10: $14,840,697; Fund 38: $137,419; Fund 39: $5,254,371; Fund 41: $50,000; Fund 80: $200,000). Approved. - Resolution B: Authorize the board to prosecute or defend legal actions in 2025–26. Approved. - Resolution C: Set school board salaries (president $4,500; other members $4,000). Approved. - Resolution D: Authorize reimbursement of actual board-member travel expenses. Approved. - Resolution E: Set the date/time for the next annual meeting (late September 2026, adjusted by motion). Approved.

What happens next: the presenter emphasized that the figure approved by electors is the annual meeting levy subject to final state-aid calculations; the board will adopt a final levy in October after DPI and Department of Revenue updates. Durr reiterated numerous figures were conservative projections and could be adjusted when final numbers arrive.

The annual meeting concluded with routine appointments (recording secretary Jennifer Rogers; a parliamentarian named by the chair) and the board transitioned into its regular public meeting, which included the treasurer’s, superintendent’s and board liaison reports and the usual consent agenda.