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Wayzata board reviews proposed $96.3 million levy for taxes payable in 2025
Summary
Finance director Scott LeSage presented a Truth-in-Taxation overview and recommended the Board certify a payable-2025 levy of $96,322,942.99, a $3.94 million (4.3%) increase over 2024; the plan keeps most increases in operating and debt levies and explains state formula context.
Wayzata Public Schools on Dec. 9 received a detailed Truth-in-Taxation presentation from Executive Director of Finance and Operations Scott LeSage, who outlined the district's preliminary 2025 budget and the district's proposed property tax levy of $96,322,942.99. LeSage said the proposed levy is $3,937,463 (4.26%) higher than the certified levy for payable 2024 and noted that the district's net tax capacity had grown by about 2.73% compared with the prior year.
LeSage told the board that general education funding from the state set the per-pupil formula allowance at $7,281 for fiscal 2024-25, an increase of $143 (2.0%) over the prior year, and that enrollment growth is part of the district's revenue outlook. He said the district's preliminary budget projects General Fund revenues of $217.4 million and expenditures of $220.3 million; the packet shows an estimated General Fund operating shortfall before nonrecurring adjustments, with assigned fund balances of $8,643,744 set aside for specific purposes. "The proposed payable 2025 tax levy is an increase from 2024 of $3,937,463 or 4.3%," LeSage stated during the presentation (Truth-in-Taxation materials and verbal presentation).
The recommended levy packet included a line-item breakdown requested by the board: voter-approved referendum amounts, net tax capacity levies for general use, the community service levy of $2,118,627, and debt-service levies; the preliminary proposed total shown in district materials was $96,322,942.99. LeSage explained the differences between tax rates and levies, noting that property valuation increases across the district affect how much individual taxpayers pay even when levy totals rise modestly.
Recommended action listed in the meeting packet asked the board to approve and certify the maximum levy amount of $96,322,942.99 and to authorize the clerk to sign the certification for payable 2025. The Truth-in-Taxation presentation and levy breakdown were followed by the statutorily-required public comment period on the proposed levy; the meeting packet reminded speakers they must be District 284 taxpayers and give name and address for the record. (Presentation: SEG 2368'1) (Levy recommended action: SEG 6192'196).
