Knoch DME

JEFFERSON TWP — Knoch School District will not raise taxes for the eighth year in a row.

Knoch’s school board unanimously approved the district’s proposed budget for the 2025-26 school year Wednesday, June 18. The budget totals just under $40 million.

The district’s millage rate will remain at 94.275 mills. A mill is equal to $1 for every $1,000 of a property’s assessed value.

Under the current rate of 94.275 mills, the median homeowner pays about $1,968 annually in school taxes.

Previously, the board had discussed a potential tax increase of 3.771 mills for this next school year, but ultimately decided it would not raise the millage rate.

The finalized budget has a deficit of $738,000. When it was presented by the board back in May, the proposed millage increase at the time 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 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’ve been financially responsible, we have not had to have a tax increase in eight years. That is huge,” board member Becky Boyd said. “If you read the newspaper, people know that there have been tax increases all over, and we have yet to have one.”

The choice to not raise taxes comes as the district plans to wrap up its multiyear, $39 million high school renovation by the end of this summer.