Thursday night, the Homer-Center School Board approved the preliminary budget for next school year, and it contains a 3% tax increase.
At this point, revenues are $19,912,505 with expenses at $21,022,017. Using $300,000 in reserve funds, the deficit comes to $809,112. Business manager Gregg Kalemba said for the average taxpayer, it will be an additional $51 a year. He added that like other districts, rising health care prices and mandated cyber charter school fees are part of the reason that costs are going up.
More budget meetings are expected between now and the next school board meeting, when the final budget will be up for approval.
