MONROE - An odd combination of factors will allow the Monroe school district to take advantage of two exemptions in its budget this year, according to Business Administrator Ron Olson.
With the state holding the school revenue limit at no increase this year, a slight decrease in Monroe's student enrollment - 2,381 from 2,395 last year - triggers a "hold harmless" exemption meant to help districts keep their baseline, Olson said. But the district is also benefiting from a declining enrollment exemption, also only for one year.
"It's just the crazy thing that, you know, us business managers last year and this year are seeing and experiencing - and the DPI (state Department of Public Instruction) for that matter - because having 0 (increase) is just not something that has ever been done," Olson said.
Declining enrollment hurts the budget in the long run by lowering its revenue.
At the district's annual meeting Monday, Olson presented the 2016-17 budget with almost $28.5 million in general fund expenditures, which is a 0.6-percent increase from last year's $28.3 million budget. He said expenditures were kept down because of some staff retirements, some positions being left open and changes to health insurance.
Actual spending last year stayed under $27.6 million because the school board delayed replacing the track and didn't address iPads at the middle school, which reached the end of their lease and were due to be refreshed, Olson said. Other factors such as favorable weather and low gas prices also helped.
"We can't count on having another great year," he said.
Total expenditures for the district are budgeted at $38.5 million in 2016-17, just $300,000 more than the $38.2 million budgeted for the 2015-16 school year.
Unless voters allow the district to levy higher property taxes in a referendum on the ballot Nov. 8, the district will be running on a $1.05-million deficit.
The school board approved a total tax levy of about $10.54 million for if both referendum questions fail, though Olson expects it to be higher due to lower-than-expected aid. The levy is a 4.81-percent decrease in school-related taxes compared to last year. The estimate doesn't account for any change in property values.
The levy translates to a tax rate of about $10.18 per $1,000 of property value. That's a tax bill of about $1,018 for the owner of a $100,000 house - $51 less than last year - and $1,527 for a $150,000 house.
Final numbers as they are affected by property valuation and aid will be approved at an upcoming board meeting.
If voters pass the first referendum question, it will add $1.5 million to the total levy; if they pass the second, it will add $460,000.
Board member Rich Deprez was absent. Three community members attended the meeting.
With the state holding the school revenue limit at no increase this year, a slight decrease in Monroe's student enrollment - 2,381 from 2,395 last year - triggers a "hold harmless" exemption meant to help districts keep their baseline, Olson said. But the district is also benefiting from a declining enrollment exemption, also only for one year.
"It's just the crazy thing that, you know, us business managers last year and this year are seeing and experiencing - and the DPI (state Department of Public Instruction) for that matter - because having 0 (increase) is just not something that has ever been done," Olson said.
Declining enrollment hurts the budget in the long run by lowering its revenue.
At the district's annual meeting Monday, Olson presented the 2016-17 budget with almost $28.5 million in general fund expenditures, which is a 0.6-percent increase from last year's $28.3 million budget. He said expenditures were kept down because of some staff retirements, some positions being left open and changes to health insurance.
Actual spending last year stayed under $27.6 million because the school board delayed replacing the track and didn't address iPads at the middle school, which reached the end of their lease and were due to be refreshed, Olson said. Other factors such as favorable weather and low gas prices also helped.
"We can't count on having another great year," he said.
Total expenditures for the district are budgeted at $38.5 million in 2016-17, just $300,000 more than the $38.2 million budgeted for the 2015-16 school year.
Unless voters allow the district to levy higher property taxes in a referendum on the ballot Nov. 8, the district will be running on a $1.05-million deficit.
The school board approved a total tax levy of about $10.54 million for if both referendum questions fail, though Olson expects it to be higher due to lower-than-expected aid. The levy is a 4.81-percent decrease in school-related taxes compared to last year. The estimate doesn't account for any change in property values.
The levy translates to a tax rate of about $10.18 per $1,000 of property value. That's a tax bill of about $1,018 for the owner of a $100,000 house - $51 less than last year - and $1,527 for a $150,000 house.
Final numbers as they are affected by property valuation and aid will be approved at an upcoming board meeting.
If voters pass the first referendum question, it will add $1.5 million to the total levy; if they pass the second, it will add $460,000.
Board member Rich Deprez was absent. Three community members attended the meeting.