If the governor’s proposed school finance plan passes, an official with the Leavenworth school system says he will recommend maxing out the district’s local option budget next year. This could increase the district’s tax levy by 5 mills.
Kevin Gullett, chief financial officer for the district, said he would recommend increasing the local option budget to take advantage of a state contribution to the LOB while it’s still available under the existing funding formula. He said the move also will benefit the district if its level of state funding becomes frozen under the governor’s plan, which wouldn’t take effect until the start of the 2013-2014 school year.
According to Gullett, a 5-mill increase would raise property taxes by $58.41 per year for the owner of a $100,000 home.
The decision about whether or not to increase the local option budget would be made by the Leavenworth Board of Education.
Gov. Sam Brownback has argued the state’s current funding formula for public schools is broken. He said in December that his proposal for a new formula “will provide districts the flexibility that is necessary to meet today’s challenges, prepare tomorrow’s opportunities and excel in education.”
Gullett feels the current formula is fair and is nervous about an equalization component of the governor’s proposal.
“I worry that that equalization aid won’t be there,” he said.
Gullett said the governor’s plan would eliminate what is called weighted funding that provides additional money for things such as students who considered “at risk.”
He said the district would receive more money for increases in enrollment. But an increase in the percentage of students who are considered at risk wouldn’t trigger additional funding once the governor’s plan has kicked in.
Even if the LOB is maxed out next year, the school board could raise it again beginning in the 2013-2014 year if the governor’s plan is enacted. Gullett said increases of the LOB would be subject to public protest under the governor’s plan.
Earlier this week, Gullett told members of the Leavenworth school board he likes a plan offered by Democratic leaders in the state legislature, which he said would provide additional money without changing the existing weighted funding formulas.
