BRODHEAD - The Brodhead School District is expecting to see a slight increase in its tax rate for the 2011-2012 budget compared to last year.
The projected rate of $9.14 per $1,000 of equalized property value is up 1.33 percent from the rate of $9.02 last year. That means the owner of a $100,000 home in the school district would pay $914 in local public school taxes, $12 more than in 2011.
The increase in the tax rate, despite a decrease in expenditures and tax levy from 2010-11, is attributed to a 2-percent decline in property values.
With a total budget hovering around $13.8 million, the district is levying about $3.592 million, an amount down $22,658 from the 2010-2011 levy. Of the total levy, $2.685 million is for the general fund, which provides for the majority of operational expenses, and $904,500 is for debt service expenses.
At the district's annual meeting Monday, Oct. 24, Superintendent Charles J. Deery noted the district "took a huge hit" in Gov. Scott Walker's budget.
State aid for the district for 2011-2012 is anticipated to be about $7.115 million, a decrease of $788,855, or about 10 percent, from the previous year of $7.903 million.
State aid is the school's biggest funding source and, historically, had been increasing at a rate of about $100,000 per year, according to Deery. The decrease for this budget is caused by a continuing decline in enrollment and the state's reduction in school aids, he noted.
The board cut $430,000 from the total budget, but, according to Deery, "did not feel comfortable making the full extent of cuts needed to balance the budget."
The board originally left a $38,000 deficit in the general funds budget, but a Medicaid audit reclaimed about a $40,000 from four years ago, and the district added aide time and a 4K and 5K teacher. The final deficit came in at just more than $81,000.
Deery said the district will work to come in under budget and reduce the deficit, but he believes budgeting issues will continue to get worse in years to come.
The district will use about $11,500 from the debt service fund balance of about $110,000, because of a a shortfall in revenue, to cover for the 2011-12 debt payments totaling $916,000.
The projected rate of $9.14 per $1,000 of equalized property value is up 1.33 percent from the rate of $9.02 last year. That means the owner of a $100,000 home in the school district would pay $914 in local public school taxes, $12 more than in 2011.
The increase in the tax rate, despite a decrease in expenditures and tax levy from 2010-11, is attributed to a 2-percent decline in property values.
With a total budget hovering around $13.8 million, the district is levying about $3.592 million, an amount down $22,658 from the 2010-2011 levy. Of the total levy, $2.685 million is for the general fund, which provides for the majority of operational expenses, and $904,500 is for debt service expenses.
At the district's annual meeting Monday, Oct. 24, Superintendent Charles J. Deery noted the district "took a huge hit" in Gov. Scott Walker's budget.
State aid for the district for 2011-2012 is anticipated to be about $7.115 million, a decrease of $788,855, or about 10 percent, from the previous year of $7.903 million.
State aid is the school's biggest funding source and, historically, had been increasing at a rate of about $100,000 per year, according to Deery. The decrease for this budget is caused by a continuing decline in enrollment and the state's reduction in school aids, he noted.
The board cut $430,000 from the total budget, but, according to Deery, "did not feel comfortable making the full extent of cuts needed to balance the budget."
The board originally left a $38,000 deficit in the general funds budget, but a Medicaid audit reclaimed about a $40,000 from four years ago, and the district added aide time and a 4K and 5K teacher. The final deficit came in at just more than $81,000.
Deery said the district will work to come in under budget and reduce the deficit, but he believes budgeting issues will continue to get worse in years to come.
The district will use about $11,500 from the debt service fund balance of about $110,000, because of a a shortfall in revenue, to cover for the 2011-12 debt payments totaling $916,000.