District projects capital spending and flags transportation funding challenges in five‑year forecast

Ms. Austin, the district finance presenter, walked the board through a five‑year financial forecast that projects operating revenue and expenditures through 2030. "Property taxes is roughly 75 to 80%...75% of revenue in the district," she said, and she emphasized that recent ESSER funds (about $5,100,000 over the last three years) had materially affected recent balances and must be considered when projecting forward.

Austin detailed assumptions: salary increases modeled at roughly 2.5–3.5% pending negotiations, benefit cost growth around 5%, operational cost increases near 4% (with anticipated reductions from a new geothermal system under evaluation), and capital projects totaling roughly $16–18 million through 2026 followed by lower maintenance spending in subsequent years. She noted a CPPRT (corporate personal property replacement tax) anomaly in prior years that temporarily inflated revenue and will decline back to historical levels.

Board members pressed on the transportation fund, where the district currently covers routes the state does not fund (under state mileage rules). Austin said the district is pursuing safe‑routes assessments with IDOT to reclassify stops and explore additional revenue; alternatives discussed included targeted levy increases or reallocation from other funds if state support is not available. The presentation noted planned borrowing in 2027 and 2029 to help stabilize operating fund balances while funding capital work.