Residents in the Oconto Falls School Board District on Monday will review a budget of just over $18.5 million for the 2013-14 school year.
The budget includes an overall expenditure increase of 1.5 percent, or $285,000, in the general fund over the previous year.
The two main sources of revenue for the district are state equalization aid and property tax. As result of the budget passed recently by state officials, the Oconto Falls School District will see a reduction of just under $328,000, or 3 percent, in state aid from last year.
“Even though they allowed us additional spending authority, the money behind it from the state is not there,” School Superintendent Dave Polashek said.
As a result, the budget includes a general fund levy increase of 5 percent, or $289,000, to offset that decrease in state aid.
The tax levy for all funds will increase of $289,000, or 3.5 percent, over the previous year.
The debt service fund tax levy remained the same at $2.5 million. For the past three years, debt restructuring has benefited the district, but no restructuring occurred in this budget.
While the total tax levy goes up about 3.5 percent, the impact on taxpayers will depend on the change in property values. Those numbers will not be available until Aug. 15 and will be included in the materials presented at the annual meeting, when residents will have the opportunity to learn more about the budget and ask questions.
Taxpayers at last year’s annual meeting approved $20,000 for the development of outdoor athletic facilities, double the amount set aside the previous year. For 2013-14, school officials are proposing $25,000 for the fund.
According to Polashek, staffing numbers for the coming school year are comparable to last year. More instructional time devoted to math required the employment of three more instructors, which was offset by staff changes when the district terminated driver’s education at the high school and several courses at Washington Middle School.
Student enrollment is projected to be stable also, yet down markedly from several years ago. Enrollment affects the amount of aid received from the state, and the district won’t know its official enrollment until the annual count is taken on the third Friday in September.
Lower enrollment numbers are calculated into the district’s three-year average to determine state aid, and because of a slow decline, Oconto Falls will benefit less from the state budget mandate to increase aid by $75 per pupil. Enrollment for 2013 is estimated at 1,801 students, down from 1,808 in 2012.
Changes in health insurance are expected to result in a savings when they take effect Jan. 1. The district discontinued its most expensive insurance plan and will offer two plans instead of three.
As part of a contract extension adopted in June, employees are required to pay 12.8 percent of their health insurance contribution if they agree to participate in a health risk assessment. Otherwise, employees will contribute 17.8 percent to the premium.
Previously, the assessment had been voluntary, and close to a third of all employees took advantage of the program. With the new policy, health problems, such as the early stage of cancer detected in one employee last year, are more likely to be diagnosed before they worsen.
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