Mill levy rises for USD 235 patrons

UNIONTOWN -- Like many school districts across Kansas, USD 235 is making do with less money.

The USD 235 Board of Education approved the 2013-14 budget following a budget hearing Monday. USD 235 Superintendent Randy Rockhold said the district must function about $150,000 less this year than last year due to the state not equalizing the local option budget (LOB) for districts. The LOB is money the district generates through property tax.

"Our district is supposed to receive 74 percent of LOB from the state, but since the (Kansas) Legislature is prorating it, we're only receiving 50 percent of LOB from the state," Rockhold said. "And local patrons have to make up the difference."

Rockhold said the state hasn't funded the LOB for four years and the district has to increase local funding each year to offset that.

"It's a big issue," he said. "Funding issues the legislature has created has put the burden of taxation back on patrons. Luckily we have planned; we have a contingency. We'll have to deficit spend for the next five years."

Rockhold said "it's a shame equalization is not being taken seriously."

"Patrons are paying more than they should because the state is discounting their obligation within the LOB," he said. "We should be generating those additional dollars and no tax increase, or we could reduce our mill rate substantially and bring in the same amount of money if the state actually equalized."

Besides local taxpayers taking on more of the burden, USD 235 has also tried to save money through various cuts in recent years.

"We have planned in the past," he said. "We eliminated a lot of positions; two teaching positions this year and one bus route. We haven't given teachers quality raises in a considerable amount of time ... Deficit spending will allow us to keep maintaining programs, but we can't do that forever."

Rockhold said fortunately the BOE "had the foresight" to begin building a five-year budget planning process.

"I hope students see as little impact as possible," he said. "Local taxpayers pay more each year."

However, at the end of that five-year plan, in the 2018-19 school year, the district's finances will be down considerably.

"At the end of that plan, our balances will have gone from $1.6 million down to $350,000 and that's what it takes to make our payroll," he said.

The mill levy will stay flat in the new budget.

"We do everything we can to keep the mill levy down," Rockhold said.

In other business Monday, the board:

* Approved and paid bills on computer printout; approved the treasurer's report for July; and a milk bid from Hiland Dairy.

"Hiland provides milk for our school district," Rockhold said. "They're a great service provider and always do a quality job for us."

Rockhold also commented that he is "excited about" the upcoming school year, which begins Sept. 5.

"We're expecting at least 15 new students," he said.