Otselic Valley tries to limit tax levy increase
SOUTH OTSELIC – After last year’s budget vote at Otselic Valley Central School, administrators put together an exit poll, asking voters to voice their concerns. The overwhelming majority said they were concerned about the increasing rate of the tax levy.
In an attempt to deal with the response, the Otselic Valley School Board has been working to keep the tax levy increase to a minimum.
“Our budget is increasing by 4.59 percent, which is one of the lowest in the county,” said school superintendent Larry Thomas. The 4.59 percent increase would bring Otselic Valley’s budget total to $8,178,842.
Thomas explained the affect the budget would have on the tax rate. “Because of our tax base, the tax levy increase is going to be 5.77 percent, which is one of the highest in the county,” said Thomas. Even with the relatively high tax levy increase, Thomas still says the tax increase is the lowest it has been in a couple of years.
While the school claims they received good state aid, they did not receive the same level of increase as many other schools in the area. Because they do not offer a universal pre-Kindergarten program, $92,000 of the state aid they were available for was cut immediately, leaving them with roughly $200,000.
The school board members had to make some sacrifices in order to accommodate the lowered aid increase. “In order to get there, we had to cut some positions,” said Thomas. In total, three instructional positions and two non-instructional positions will be cut. The proposed budget would cut two members of the instructional staff from the Junior/Senior High School and one at the elementary school, as well as cutting one maintenance worker and one clerical position.
The school is anticipating high costs in terms of special education next year, with three new special education students entering the district. “We think we’ll be able to deal with that in terms of staffing,” said Thomas. Thomas explained that individual schools come up with the money for special education funding up front, and are reimbursed the following year. “The first year is the hardest, but it levels off.
According to Thomas, the school has been looking at making some minor changes to their purchasing that could lead to big savings in the long run.
“The board has been working very hard to get the rate of increase in check with minimal impact to the programs,” Thomas said.
The Otselic Valley School Budget vote will be held from noon to 9 p.m. on May 15 at the Otselic Valley High School. School Board of Education members will be elected at the same time. Otselic Valley has one opening. Board member Daniel I. Brown will not be seeking re-election. There are two candidates running for the position, Dale Fox and Loren Larkin.
In an attempt to deal with the response, the Otselic Valley School Board has been working to keep the tax levy increase to a minimum.
“Our budget is increasing by 4.59 percent, which is one of the lowest in the county,” said school superintendent Larry Thomas. The 4.59 percent increase would bring Otselic Valley’s budget total to $8,178,842.
Thomas explained the affect the budget would have on the tax rate. “Because of our tax base, the tax levy increase is going to be 5.77 percent, which is one of the highest in the county,” said Thomas. Even with the relatively high tax levy increase, Thomas still says the tax increase is the lowest it has been in a couple of years.
While the school claims they received good state aid, they did not receive the same level of increase as many other schools in the area. Because they do not offer a universal pre-Kindergarten program, $92,000 of the state aid they were available for was cut immediately, leaving them with roughly $200,000.
The school board members had to make some sacrifices in order to accommodate the lowered aid increase. “In order to get there, we had to cut some positions,” said Thomas. In total, three instructional positions and two non-instructional positions will be cut. The proposed budget would cut two members of the instructional staff from the Junior/Senior High School and one at the elementary school, as well as cutting one maintenance worker and one clerical position.
The school is anticipating high costs in terms of special education next year, with three new special education students entering the district. “We think we’ll be able to deal with that in terms of staffing,” said Thomas. Thomas explained that individual schools come up with the money for special education funding up front, and are reimbursed the following year. “The first year is the hardest, but it levels off.
According to Thomas, the school has been looking at making some minor changes to their purchasing that could lead to big savings in the long run.
“The board has been working very hard to get the rate of increase in check with minimal impact to the programs,” Thomas said.
The Otselic Valley School Budget vote will be held from noon to 9 p.m. on May 15 at the Otselic Valley High School. School Board of Education members will be elected at the same time. Otselic Valley has one opening. Board member Daniel I. Brown will not be seeking re-election. There are two candidates running for the position, Dale Fox and Loren Larkin.
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