Holley proposes 2.5% tax increase with school budget

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 April 2019 at 9:48 pm

Write-in candidate will likely win seat on Board of Education

HOLLEY – The school district is proposing a $25,780,000 budget for 2019-20 that increases spending by 2.2 percent or $570,000.

The budget would increase taxes by 2.5 percent or $177,704, from $7,108,141 to $7,285,845. That is below the district’s tax cap for 2019-20, which is a 2.639 percent increase, said Sharon Zacher, the district’s assistant superintendent for business.

She went over the budget with the Board of Education during its monthly board meeting today. State aid for the district is up $317,460 to $17,309,898.

Zacher and school officials will present the budget in greater detail during a budget hearing and the district’s annual meeting at 6 p.m. on May 7 at the district office.

The budget will go before voters from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on May 21 at the high school foyer.

Other propositions on the ballot include:

• Authorization to spend up to $178,000 for a large (72 seat) school bus and a small (30 seat) bus.

• Authorization to collect $170,197 for the Community Free Library.

• Election of Board of Education members. The seats for John Heise and current president Brenda Swanger are up for election. Swanger isn’t seeking re-election. Heise has submitted petitions to run again for a three-year term. He was the only candidate to step forward.

The other position will likely be decided by write-in votes. If there are write-ins, the district will check with the person with the most votes to see if he or she wants to serve in the three-year position.

If a person isn’t elected, the board could make an appointment for a one-year term, with the other two years of the term back on the ballot again next May, said Jeff Martin, the school district’s attorney.

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