by Evelyn Pyburn- Originally published in the Yellowstone County News on 11/18/16.
LOCKWOOD — The Lockwood School Board of Trustees is facing the prospect of asking for a mill levy increase for next year’s budget.
Because of continued enrollment declines, Lockwood School faces a $75,000 budget shortfall for next year, reported School Clerk Laurie Noonkester during the board’s meeting last week.
The shortfall involves being short by $75,000 of covering the same size budget as this year. It does not consider any increases in the budget, including “moving just one step” in the teachers’ pay grid, which adds $69,000 to the budget – and not including an increase in pay for the para professionals and administration.
The highest increase in revenue the district can have with a vote of the electorate is $288,000. The district will most likely need all that, according to Noonkester, who said that without the voter approved levy, “the cuts would be dramatic and painful.”
Other additional budget increases expected for next year include:
The school pays $1.5 million for health insurance and is expecting a 5 to 10 percent increase in premiums – an increase of $75,000. And, that does not include any increases in coverage such as the addition of family members.
Based upon current taxable value numbers, such a proposed mill levy increase would increase taxes on a $100,000 by $16.17 and on a $200,000 home, $32.35. The overall total tax for the school district on a $100,000 home would be $89.50.
Some positive changes that might mitigate some of the cost would be an increase in the taxable property value for the district, which usually runs at about 3 percent.
And, enrollment could still increase, which would increase the school’s ANB revenues (Annual Number Belonging) from the state. And, what the Legislature might do that could help the situation is still unknown.
Lockwood’s levy is currently at about the same level as two years ago, said Superintendent Tobin Novasio.
Lockwood has not requested a general mill levy increase for seven or eight years.
“We have cut down to such a low level it is hard to adjust,” said Novasio. There may be reduced read more
