ELLSWORTH – Ellsworth Community School District electors passed a resolution Monday, Oct. 9 at the annual meeting to levy $7,217,355 in property taxes for general school purposes, $2,208,910 for referendum debt service, $388,896 for non-referendum debt and $150,000 for community service for a total tax levy of $9,965,161.

The district will receive final budget numbers from the state certification Oct. 15 and the board will meet at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 24 to certify the levy.

Superintendent Barry Cain said the good news is the projected fund balance of $6,219, 223.

“When we went to voters for an operating referendum, we projected using $300,000 of fund balance (in 2022-23) at that time,” Cain said. “We had budgeted a deficit spending of $682,000, so we are much better off than we thought we would be.”

The audited change in fund balance from last year turned out to be $293,675 instead of $682,000, in part due to increased interest income, additional money coming from the state budget and the governor’s office Kids Ahead program, less substitute teacher costs, and unfilled positions due to the labor market.

This year, Cain and district office staff are projecting a nearly balanced budget with a deficit of $31,613, which would come out of the fund balance.

“The biggest reason for that is the state budget,” Cain said. “The biennial budget was a huge influence for us. We benefit greatly from the low revenue ceiling raised minimum threshold. That’s representing $988 per student for us and that really helped us out a lot in being able to balance our budget this year.”

Gov. Tony Evers signed a bill in June that raised the cap on the minimum amount of revenue school districts are allowed to collect from state aid and local taxpayers to $11,000 per student from $10,000. However, the low revenue ceiling increase results in a jump in property taxes, from $6,509,451 to $7,217,355. Cain said short-term, the low revenue ceiling increase has a negative effect on property taxes, but long-term, the district should not have as much of a need to ask voters to approve operating referenda.

The district is projecting to collect $65,000 in gate receipts and interest income of at least $100,000, a significant increase from $18,000 in 2021-22. The district is projected to receive $12,019,712 in equalized aid because of the state budget. T

“They raised the low revenue ceiling that gives us more to operate from and they raised the amount of money the state is paying for our local education,” Cain said. “They boosted that to try to offset some elements of that low revenue ceiling. This is not additional monies for us to spend, it’s really and truly a direct tax impact for us in a positive way.”

The total revenue for 2023-24 is expected to be $22,793,493, up from $21,454, 255 last year. This is due to the low revenue ceiling increase, grants, equalized aid, etc. Cain said.

Expenditures are expected to be $22,825,106, up from $21,747,930 last year. Cain noted a 5% increase in salaries and wages and seeing more employees take health benefits. The district also added more full-time aides for high needs students and maintenance costs have increased slightly.

District taxpayers are expected to pay $2,333,411 for special education services. About $250,000 to $300,000 will be used from Fund 46 (the district’s capital savings account) to pay for the locker room renovations at the high school, leaving about $300,000 in that fund.

Cain reminded those in attendance that while the overall tax levy is $9,965,161, up from $9,206.056 last year, in 2016-2017 the levy was more than $10 million.

School board salaries

Five constituents voted to increase school board member salaries for the first time since 2015. They include:

Board president: $3,000

Vice president: $2,500

Clerk: $2,700

Treasurer: $2,700

Board member: $2,400

Next year’s annual meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Oct. 14, 2024.