The Butler Area School Board took a closer look Monday at anticipated budget figures for the upcoming 2021-2022 school year.
Assistant Business Manager Heather Bonzo outlined the numbers the district is projecting for next year- including an expected decrease of about $64,000 in property tax collection after a decrease of nearly $190,000 during the current school year.
One figure of concern is a nearly $600,000 anticipated budget deficit for 2021-22. The district will have one-time revenue available to cover that shortfall however a tax increase could be necessary in order to avoid similar shortfalls in the future.
Superintendent Dr. Brian White:
“Am I concerned? Yes. Do I think we have some good plans moving forward? I think we do. I’m not panicking at this point,” White said. “At this point, I think we’ve been very thoughtful and deliberate with what we’ve done. I don’t think that’s any different than the last three years.”
“We have to look at everything very carefully to make sure we’re investing in the long term,” White added.
The district will have 23 open positions next year as a result of resignations or retirements but it is unknown how many of those will need to be filled to meet student need which would also add more expense to the budget.
Discussions about anticipated state and federal revenue and balancing projected expenses for next year is expected to continue over the next several months until a preliminary budget is presented in May followed by final approval in June.
