The District 205 School Board only raised their levy 25 cents instead of the original proposal of 35 cents at their meeting last night.
The levy will still generate about $1.7 million in additional revenue, but with less burden on taxpayers because of higher than expected Equalized Assessed Value of homes in the district.
Now instead of a home with a taxable value of $50,000 paying about $52 extra a year, they will pay $38 more. This was done with the stated goal of a balanced budget by FY18.
Administration has been clear through the levy process that this levy would have to be coupled with $600,000 in cuts.
Superintendent Ralph Grimm said he will lay out his proposals for those cuts at the January meeting. But Grimm says this balanced budget scenario is assuming the state of Illinois meets all of their obligations.
“What we also know is that the state of Illinois continues to kick the can down the road when it comes to their ability and their willingness to pay the money that they owe,” Grimm told the board.
Grimm says there are talks in Springfield that the state may not make all four of it’s mandated categorical grant payments to districts this year.
Those are funds that the district has already spent with the understanding they would be reimbursed.
Also concerning Grimm is rumors about a state property tax freeze or shifting pension costs onto local districts.
In other news last night, the board recognized the coaches and players of the 2016 GHS Football team that won the first playoff game in school history.
