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Franklin Regional board adopts $73.6 million proposed budget, approves 3.45% property tax increase
Summary
The Franklin Regional School Board on May 11 approved a proposed final general fund budget with $73,602,546 in expenditures and a recommended 3.45% property tax increase to close an $850,000 gap; the board approved the measure by unanimous roll call and will adopt a final budget in June after public inspection.
The Franklin Regional School Board voted unanimously May 11 to approve a proposed final general fund budget that would set expenditures at $73,602,546 and revenues at $72,750,490, and would use committed fund balance to cover an $850,000 gap.
Mister Perry, the district’s finance presenter, read the motion and outlined the package the board approved: a 3.45% increase to the property tax rate, a recommendation to use roughly $49,738 from a technology committed fund balance and $265,000 from debt‑service phasing to ease next year’s payments, and $537,318 from unassigned fund balance. "The motion reads that the board will adopt the proposed final general fund budget, having expenditures of $73,602,546 and revenues of $72,750,490," Perry said as he presented the figures and a timeline for public inspection and final adoption in June.
Perry described personnel costs, debt service tied to athletic facility upgrades and increased health insurance and cybersecurity expenses as the principal expenditure drivers. He also said the district shifted substitute staffing to a third‑party provider this year, which moved related costs into human resources while improving the substitute fill rate.
Board members framed the increase as fiscally necessary given state funding levels. "It costs a lot of money to run a school district," one board member said during debate. Another member urged the board to catalog unfunded state or federal mandates for public review and future advocacy.
Perry showed revenue-side details indicating local sources fund about 70.6% of the district budget; he said state increases under the governor’s proposal produced only modest gains for Franklin Regional and that the district receives a small adequacy supplement. The board discussed per‑pupil state funding disparities with neighboring districts and the limits that places on local programming choices.
The board approved the proposed final general fund budget by roll call vote; each named director present voted yes. The proposal will be available for public inspection and advertisement 10 days before the June board meeting, when the board is scheduled to adopt the final general fund budget.
