Voters approve $164.6 million budget; district uses $3.5 million of savings to balance it

What happened

On May 19, 2026, voters approved the 2026-27 budget of $164,581,354 by 1,103 to 355. The budget is 6.02% bigger than this year's. The tax levy (the part paid by property owners) goes up 3.90%, below the 4.689% limit. To close the gap, the district will use about $3.5 million from savings and reserve funds, up from about $0.9 million last year.

Why it matters to families

State aid is growing the least since before the pandemic, while health insurance (up 9.54% to 20%) and energy costs jump. On a $400,000 home the district estimated about $193.87 more per year. Using savings at this rate cannot repeat every year, so leaders call this a year of recalibration.

The evidence

The district's results story gives the vote count. The March 31 budget slides and the board's adopted proposal show the $164,581,354 total, 3.90% levy, $3.5 million in fund balance and reserves, $1,156,382 (3.32%) foundation aid increase, and a $3.8 million gap if voters had rejected it.

The source