SAD 48 Budget will rely more on local taxes

Morning Sentinel, May 17, 2008

(excerpt) Residents in SAD 48 will be asked to shell out an additional $618,000 to pay for education next year, based on a budget plan approved by the board of directors.

The overall district budget plan includes a meager 1.8 percent increase, to $19.5 million.

But $5.5 million of that total would be generated by local property taxes, which is a 12.5 percent jump from this year, said Kelley Carter, business manager for School Administrative District 48.

As a result, the mil rate for the local share of education would jump from $7.52 to $7.61 per $1,000 of valuation, Carter said. For the average $100,000 home, that represents a $9 increase to $761.

The budget could change over the coming weeks, however. This year, due to new laws associated with the state's consolidation effort, school districts are required to hold a budget meeting during which residents will be allowed to vote and must approve spending in 17 separate categories, Carter said.

The budget meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. May 27 at the Nokomis High School cafeteria.

"This meeting will be presided over by a moderator, who will be elected at the meeting," Carter said. "The results of this meeting will be forwarded to the polls for validation."