October Surprise

Pulaski school district residents have to wait till October to see if their taxes will go up and by how much. Truly, an October surprise. From the Shawano Leader. Good job to the people that showed up at Wednesday's meeting.

"Pulaski residents vote down school budget hike
By Joan Koehne, Wolf River Media

PULASKI — “Tighten your belt,” demanded the residents of the Pulaski School District, as voters soundly rejected the district’s proposed 12 percent increase in the tax levy at the annual meeting Sept. 16.

With a 77-30 vote, a motion to adopt the $14 million tax levy was rejected. The proposed tax rate was proposed at $9.36 per $1,000 equalized value, an increase from $8.34 last year.

“The powers of the annual meeting are to approve the tax levy, but the ultimate power to set the levy at the end of October is with the school board. Knowing this board, they’re going to go back and dwell on the voices of the people,” said District Adminis-trator Dr. Mel Lightner.

He admitted that a 12 percent increase would be a burden to the taxpayers in the district, but said that vast budget reductions would “really erode the effectiveness of our educational program.”

One reason for the proposed tax hike was to cover the initial costs of a new, four-year-old kindergarten program. Based on the state’s revenue formula determined by student enrollment, the program is expected to generate a deficit of about $230,000 its first year, then break even its second and provide revenue for the district in its third year and beyond. Almost 200 students are currently enrolled in the program.

The loss of state aid was another reason for the levy increase; this year it dropped about $242,000. The district relies heavily on state aid, with 70 percent of its revenue coming from the state last year, but only 68 percent this year. Property taxes account for 25 percent of revenue, with federal aids contributing 1 percent and other revenues contributing 3 percent. Zero growth is anticipated in equalized value for the district, a change from 4.9 percent last year. The district has seen moderate increases in property values for the past several years and a 10 percent jump as recently as 2005.

Salaries and fringe benefits account for 85 percent of the budget, supporting the 215 full-time equivalent teaching positions and seven full-time equivalent instructional aid positions in the district.

About 15 residents spoke at the meeting, expressing dismay with ways the district is spending money, and calling school officials “irresponsible” for asking for such a large increase in taxes. Some questioned why teachers received a 4.3 percent wage increase and support staff received a 4 percent increase in an economic climate in which wages are being cut elsewhere. Paying insurance benefits for retired teachers was another policy that was challenged."