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Superintendent says state-imposed levy balances budget but shifts costs to local taxpayers
Summary
The superintendent told the board that a recent state action—described as a 12.9% increase (about $22.3 million)—has brought the district's budget to balance but noted the move effectively transfers costs to local taxpayers and leaves long-term adequacy gaps of roughly $107 million per year.
The district’s superintendent told the Board of Education that a recent action by the state has moved the budget to a balanced line but shifted the financial burden onto local taxpayers. "We talked about being about a 107,000,000 under adequacy every year," the superintendent said, describing a structural funding shortfall the district has contested for years.
The superintendent said the state’s imposition — described in the presentation as a "12.9% tax increase or $22,300,000 on top of last year's 9.3%" — has stabilized the district’s fiscal position in the short term but does not erase the long-term adequacy issues. He said the district will seek efficiencies, prioritize accountability, and aim to avoid cutting student programs or further raising class sizes unless required. Board members asked clarifying questions about the so-called "fiscal cliff," and the superintendent replied that the district is now funded "albeit by ourselves," while noting continued losses from prior years and a need for continued vigilance.
