The 2024-25 Butler Area School District preliminary budget put forward by district administrators again includes a tax increase.
Board members approved the proposed budget of nearly $115 million during their Monday night meeting. This represents an increase of about $5 million over the current year budget.
Local real-estate tax rates would increase by 2.66 mils to just over 109 mils. This increase would allow the district to collect approximately $1.3 million in new revenue. The average homeowner in the district would pay about $44 more per year under this proposal. This comes after the board approved a tax increase of 2.95 mils last year.
Superintendent Dr. Brian White says most of this additional funding will be used to help pay for nearly $15 million in capital projects needs like roof replacement.
“The majority is that capital expenditure, we’re going to increase the budget for capital projects. That’s the largest single item,” White said. “Other than that it’s personnel and benefit costs. We’re not adding personnel, but just increased year-over-year costs.”
The revenue total from the state has not yet been determined so it is possible that the board could decrease the proposed milage but they cannot increase beyond the 2.66 mils proposed.
The budget will now be posted for 30 days before school board members will vote on final approval in June.
