Milton voters OK 10.5% levy increase
2010-11 Milton School District Budget
A look at the 2008 budget for the Milton School District
Total budget
2010-11 - $34.86 million
2009-10 - $33.24 million
Increase - 4.9%
Tax levy
2010-11 - $14.08 million
2009-10 - $12.75 million
Increase - 12.6%
Tax rate
(Per $1,000 of assessed valuation)
2010-11 - $8.57
2009-10 - $7.91
Increase - 8.34%
MILTON — For the second straight year, residents gave the nod to a tax levy increase of at least 10 percent for Milton School District.
Monday at the district’s annual meeting, residents heard details of a proposed budget for the school district calling for a 10.5 percent tax levy increase.
Residents voted 20-11 in favor of the increase. The vote was advisory. The school board will vote on the proposed tax levy in October.
The proposed levy for the 2010-2011 school year is $14.08 million—a $1.33 million increase from last year. It amounts to an 8.34 percent increase in the school district’s tax rate, said Mary Ellen Van Valin, the school district’s business manager.
The district won’t have a clear picture of how much it will receive in state aid until October. And property tax valuations, another factor determining a school district’s tax rate, also won’t be known until then.
But the district is predicting property values to stay flat. The proposed budget is based on a property valuation growth rate of zero percent district-wide.
Van Valin said the district is projecting a 1.1 percent decrease in state aid, a possible loss of $216,570. She said the decrease is on par with a larger trend in cuts to state funding for schools statewide.
“Really, there’s nothing on the horizon that’s encouraging for school districts with respect to any increase in state funding. Now, we shift to drawing from the property tax base,” Van Valin said.
State aid is partially based on student enrollment within each district. And although the district won’t learn its enrollment numbers until early September, the districtanticipates losing 20 students this year.
Van Valin said a one-time exemption this year will allow the district to trap $257,000 in revenue it could lose through declining enrollments.
Overall, the school district’s budget for 2010-2011 is projected at $34.86 million, a 4.9 percent increase in expenses from last year, Van Valin said. The district reports its main cost increases are in the areas of salary, insurance, operations, transportation, utilities and capital projects.
The board last year softened its 10 percent levy increase by shifting $500,000 from the district’s fund balance, otherwise known as its rainy day fund. The district didn’t need the funds for operations. In fact, the district was able to add about $170,000 to the fund.
School board President Rob Roy said it’s “very unlikely” the district would again draw from fund balance for levy relief.
The district is in arbitration over teacher health insurance coverage for the district’s 2009-2011 labor contract. A state-appointed arbitrator is set to decide whether to uphold the teachers union’s proposal to keep its current insurer or to uphold a proposal by the school district that the union switch insurance carriers.
That decision could be rendered by October. Van Valin said it won’t have an effect on the tax levy because the district already wrote a maximum salary and benefit cost increase into its proposed budget.
Aug 19, 2010 at 4:51 p.m.
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Have you seen the bumper stickers which say "I SUPPORT SCHOOLS IN MILTON"? Trouble is if you live in Milton you don't have a choice.
Aug 18, 2010 at 4:11 p.m.
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IMO - that sound you hear from your idea is the droves of students leaving Milton (with their state aid dollars) and transferring to Janesville, Edgerton, Whitewater, Fort Atkinson and other area districts that would continue to offer these "extra" opportunities. The Board and Administration are smart enough to realize that the education marketplace in the 21st century is a competitive one - and that the quickest way to lose customers (students) is to cut those "extras". Kudos to those in charge in Milton (and the courageous taxpayers who voted "yes") for realizing that spending a little more up front is an investment in the future of the district.
Aug 18, 2010 at 2:25 p.m.
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I didn't know anything about the meeting. If I had, I would have went and voted no. I simply can't afford it.
Here's my solution. There is no reason for us to have sports through the Milton Youth Program and the Milton School District. The school district should stop their sports program and let the Milton Youth Group take them over. That should help put a dent in the $1.33 million dollars that they need.
Start the budget with the necessities like teachers and toilet paper and if there is anything left over, then start adding all of the extra-curricular activities.
Aug 18, 2010 at 11:19 a.m.
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Unfortunately there are lots of people under the illusion that more money always gets better "education"...I make a little car repair analogy....some places will fix your car better than other places for HALF the price of another place and its the same thing with educating students, its just a matter of getting all the right people on the job and getting self-serving political types OUT.
Aug 18, 2010 at 10:34 a.m.
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If people get on their computers to gripe and weren't there, end of discussion. If people don't live in this community, your opinion is expressed. Next story...
Aug 18, 2010 at 10:16 a.m.
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Hmm. Maybe the minority SHOULD be in charge.
Aug 18, 2010 at 9:38 a.m.
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The people (at the school board meeting) have spoken...
Aug 18, 2010 at 9:30 a.m.
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You shouldn't complain. After all, you voted for it. Right? ;-(
Aug 18, 2010 at 8:13 a.m.
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Wow, Stubby, cigarettes and Starbucks?? Being unemployed right now, I'm wondering if education is more important than me paying my utility bill and eating! Oh, that's right, education is the sacred cow that we must not ever ever cut!
Aug 18, 2010 at 8:07 a.m.
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Yeah, 31 people voting and "Milton voters" ok 10.5 percent increase. Hardly representative. At least it's only an "advisory" vote and the board will vote on it in October. Maybe they'll vote it down! LOL!! It's a great system that allows school boards to just "vote" when they need more money. Maybe they should find stuff to cut like I have to when I get my higher tax bill.
Aug 18, 2010 at 8:05 a.m.
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Dem durn edumacashion geeks - tinkin' all dat skule learnins mor impurtent den my cegerettes ur Starbucks.
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BTW - I read elsewhere that is was a paper ballot. You wanted a say? All you have to do is come to the meeting! It is held every year at this time and the same vote takes place. You don't bother to show up and vote - then quit your complaining!
Aug 18, 2010 at 7:48 a.m.
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This is no vote. It's a show of hands at a school board meeting. Milton didn't vote for this. Education geeks that go to school board meetings did.
Aug 18, 2010 at 7 a.m.
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I vote NO!!!!!!!!! I can't do it!!!!!! I don't have the money!!!! I'll have to sell my house!!!!! STOP!!!!!!! LIVE WITH IN YOUR BUDGET!!!!!! TAKE A PAY CUT!!!!!!!
Aug 18, 2010 at 2:15 a.m.
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who the hell even knew there was an advisory referendum. gotta love selective democracy! what a joke
Aug 17, 2010 at 10:47 p.m.
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"Residents voted 20-11 in favor of the increase".
The community has spoken, all 31 of them!
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