Baldwin-Whitehall board adopts proposed final 2026–27 budget, posts it for 30‑day public review

The Baldwin‑Whitehall School District board voted 6–0, with three members absent, to adopt a proposed final budget for the 2026–27 school year that lists $100,697,353 in expenses and $98,763,126 in revenue, leaving a projected $1.9 million deficit. The board authorized staff to post the proposal for the 30‑day public inspection period required by law and scheduled a final adoption vote for the June meeting.

Why it matters: The proposal includes a recommended millage increase of 1.175 mills (an increase equivalent to about $117.50 per $100,000 of assessed value) to narrow the gap between revenue and expenses. District officials say the shortfall is driven largely by personnel and special education cost increases, new curricular expenditures and several capital projects planned for summer work.

The budget presentation: Director of finance and operations (Mr. Chirpak) told trustees the district anticipates roughly $900,000 in new personnel costs and another $900,000 in special‑education spending in the proposed year, plus about $300,000 of additional curricular material expenses and several one‑time capital items. He said the district’s total personnel expense budget is roughly $68.5 million, and that debt service has declined after paying off the high school, producing some offsetting savings.

"It's a little bit more glum news than we've had in the past," the finance director said during the presentation, summarizing the size of the deficit and the uncertainties in state funding that could affect the final numbers.

Board discussion and scenarios: Trustees heard scenarios showing the district’s fund balance trajectory under alternate millage paths: keeping the millage unchanged, raising it by half a mill annually, or increasing to the index this year and then a full mill per year after that. Officials said the recommended 1.175‑mill increase keeps the fund balance more stable over the next several years, while doing nothing would significantly reduce reserves.

Vote and next steps: The board approved the proposed final budget and directed staff to publish the required legal notice and make hard copies available for public review. The final adoption vote is set for the district’s June meeting after the 30‑day display period.

What remains uncertain: Officials cautioned that state revenue estimates are based on the governor’s preliminary figures and may change; the district noted that if federal or state aid levels shift, the numbers will change between the proposed and final budget votes.