JEFFERSON TWP — Knoch School District’s board voted unanimously Wednesday, May 13, to move forward with a preliminary 2026-27 general budget worth $40.24 million.

The budget was passed along with a 3.29 mill real estate tax increase, the district’s first in nearly a decade.

At last week’s work session, Knoch board members expressed openness to increasing the millage rate this year if it meant stabilizing the general fund and avoiding further increases in the next five years. Business manager Jamie Van Lenten, along with Knoch’s administration, recommended the millage increase for this year to stabilize funding.

The 2026-27 budget, which will be voted on for final approval in June, will see about a $203,000 increase in expenditures. This would have resulted in a nearly $600,000 deficit, as projected total revenue was expected to be about $39.65 million. However, the millage increase closes that gap.

A mill is equal to a $1 tax increase for every $1,000 of a property’s assessed value. On average, home owners will see an increase of about $69 year per year with the millage increase. Knoch School District will still have with one of the lowest millage rates in Butler County.

At last week’s work session, budget presentations from Van Lenten showed that without any millage adjustment, the fund balance would be drained by some time during the 2031 fiscal year. She said the proposed increase would significantly improve long-term financial stability.

Board members expressed openness to a millage increase this year and avoiding a potentially bigger one down the road. Board President Donna Eakin said Wednesday night that was the general line of thinking for most of the board going into tonight’s vote.

The budget will be posted for 30 days on the district’s website for public inspection before a final vote in June.