ALBANY - The Albany School board will be asking district voters on Tuesday, Nov. 6 to allow the district to exceed its revenue limit by approving a referendum for $1.64 million to address the school's operating deficit over the next three years.
The board is seeking enough funds to balance the budget and hold the current mill rate during that period.
The referendum is viewed as a continuation of the district's previous four-year referendum, set to expire this school year, according to Dr. Stephen Guenther, district administrator.
"Essentially, we are back-filling the current referendum," he said.
The district is expecting to use $520,000 in each of the first two years and $600,000 in the third year.
Taxpayers will probably not see a huge change in their future school tax bill if the referendum passes, he said.
"The tax impact will be little to none, provided there are no major changes at the state level," Guenther said. "Our goal is not to impact current local taxes at all."
The owner of a $100,000 home will pay $1 more in the first year, but $8 less in the second year, and $2 less in the third year, compared to the current tax payments, Guenther said.
The school will be using grant money for necessary improvements and continuing progress forward, and has received charter and technology grants, he added.
The referendum funds will "protect and maintain our educational programs and services" as well as "secure ongoing financial stability in order to provide for current and future students," according to a statement released last month by the school.
Even though the district has made reductions in its budgets, it has not been enough to fill the operating cost gap.
The district stated it has "made improvements in the overall educational program by strengthening areas such as technology, reading, math, science and overall student achievement," and it also "accrued significant cost savings by reducing the number of teachers, non-teaching staff and instructional budgets."
Without the additional funding, the school risks jeopardizing valued programs and services, district officials added.
The Albany 2012-2013 school budget, approved by the board Aug. 27, has a tax levy of $3.14 million. Of that amount, general operating funds require $2.3 million, up $23,700, from last year. Debt service dropped $16,300 to end at $288,600. The referendum funding covered $550,000. The school district is operating on a $4.9 million budget this year, with revenues down $149,000, or 3 percent, and expenditures down $239,000, or 4.7 percent, compared to last year.
The Albany school tax rate for the past three years has been 10.73, 12.01 and 12 percent, according to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
The board is seeking enough funds to balance the budget and hold the current mill rate during that period.
The referendum is viewed as a continuation of the district's previous four-year referendum, set to expire this school year, according to Dr. Stephen Guenther, district administrator.
"Essentially, we are back-filling the current referendum," he said.
The district is expecting to use $520,000 in each of the first two years and $600,000 in the third year.
Taxpayers will probably not see a huge change in their future school tax bill if the referendum passes, he said.
"The tax impact will be little to none, provided there are no major changes at the state level," Guenther said. "Our goal is not to impact current local taxes at all."
The owner of a $100,000 home will pay $1 more in the first year, but $8 less in the second year, and $2 less in the third year, compared to the current tax payments, Guenther said.
The school will be using grant money for necessary improvements and continuing progress forward, and has received charter and technology grants, he added.
The referendum funds will "protect and maintain our educational programs and services" as well as "secure ongoing financial stability in order to provide for current and future students," according to a statement released last month by the school.
Even though the district has made reductions in its budgets, it has not been enough to fill the operating cost gap.
The district stated it has "made improvements in the overall educational program by strengthening areas such as technology, reading, math, science and overall student achievement," and it also "accrued significant cost savings by reducing the number of teachers, non-teaching staff and instructional budgets."
Without the additional funding, the school risks jeopardizing valued programs and services, district officials added.
The Albany 2012-2013 school budget, approved by the board Aug. 27, has a tax levy of $3.14 million. Of that amount, general operating funds require $2.3 million, up $23,700, from last year. Debt service dropped $16,300 to end at $288,600. The referendum funding covered $550,000. The school district is operating on a $4.9 million budget this year, with revenues down $149,000, or 3 percent, and expenditures down $239,000, or 4.7 percent, compared to last year.
The Albany school tax rate for the past three years has been 10.73, 12.01 and 12 percent, according to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.