Knoch DME

Knoch School District is ducking away from raising taxes.

Knoch’s school board approved a preliminary general budget for the 2025-26 year at its Wednesday, May 14 meeting. The budget, which will now be posted on the district’s website for public inspection, totals about $40 million, an increase of nearly $270,000 from this year.

The board ultimately decided it would not raise the district’s millage rate. This comes after the board had discussed a tax increase of 3.771 mills for next school year.

The budget, when it was presented at the board’s May 7 work session, saw a deficit of over $650,000. The millage increase was seen as an option to break even.

Instead, the district will dip into its existing fund balance to make up the deficit.

According to the preliminary final budget proposal, the district has an existing fund balance and budgetary reserve totaling $7.98 million.

The district has not raised taxes since 2017.

“We discussed the millage increase, but the district has historically been financially responsible. Because of this we haven’t raised taxes in years,” board President Donna Eakin told the Butler Eagle.

Knoch’s current millage rate is 94.275 mills, with the median homeowner paying about $1,968.46 annually in school taxes. Before the millage increase was shot down, the proposed increase would have raised that homeowner bill to a little over $2,047, an annual difference of $78.74.

Part of trimming the budget down includes not replacing every faculty member who retires.

“The administration did a really good job of reviewing everything and trimming down the budget this year,” Eakin said.

The preliminary budget will be posted on the district website for 30 days before a vote for final approval next month.