Administrators at the Butler School District want to raise taxes to avoid future financial disasters.

Superintendent Brian White presented the school board Monday night with a proposed increase of 3.03 mills to the district's existing 101 mill property tax rate. The increase would generate about $1.2 million, according to director of business services Nick Morelli. It would fund a few rate increases, some counseling and curriculum needs and, perhaps most notably, cash reserves in a district that's essentially been running without any.

“Are we going to start saving for what's coming next, or are we going to wait and borrow?” White said.

White has one key piece of financial data he wants taxpayers to hear when considering the increase: The district is indebted $131,336,951. Here's his kicker: $45,378,567 of that is interest.

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