Wauneta‑Palisade Schools publish proposed 2025–26 budget, set Sept. 9 hearing on tax request

Wauneta‑Palisade Public Schools released a table showing a proposed 2025–26 operating budget of $8,341,854 and a proposed property tax request of $4,244,263, and notified taxpayers that a special hearing to set the district's final tax request will be held Sept. 9, 2025, at 5:05 p.m. Mountain Time at the Wauneta Board Room, 214 W Wichita, Wauneta, NE.

The district's published materials show assessed property valuations rising from $474,660,039 (2024–25) to $523,734,638 (2025–26), a 10% increase listed in the table. The document lists line‑item figures for the General Fund (2025–26 operating budget $6,761,339; proposed property tax request $3,590,944), the Special Building Fund (proposed 2025–26 amounts $1,280,960 and $581,713 in the tax-related column), and a Qualified Capital Purpose Undertaking Fund (K–12) with proposed 2025–26 amounts shown as $299,555 and $71,606. The table's total row lists a 2024–25 total operating budget of $9,146,533 with a property tax request of $4,139,937 and shows the proposed 2025–26 totals above.

The notice cites compliance with State Statute Section 77-1632 and invites "support, opposition, criticism, suggestions or observations of taxpayers" at the Sept. 9 hearing. The published table shows numeric percent changes by line item; where the table presents percent changes these are reported as printed (for example, percentage declines shown for the Special Building Fund and the QCPUF row). The document does not include narrative explanation or quoted statements from district officials.

Taxpayers who wish to comment at the hearing should appear at the Wauneta Board Room at the stated date and time; the table and the published notice do not specify additional remote-participation options or submission procedures for written comments.