U46, D300 approve budgets that are balanced — so far
By Emily McFarlan Miller emcfarlan@stmedianetwork.com September 25, 2012 10:18PM
Updated: October 27, 2012 6:20AM
Both the School District U46 and Community Unit School District 300 boards of education approved their 2012-13 budgets Monday night.
And both budgets are balanced, hinged on timing and unknowns.
District 300 will bring in about $195.2 million total in revenue this school year and spend about $194.2 million, ending with just over $1 million surplus in its operating fund.
But that surplus may not go far in the face of a number of unknowns, including efforts by state legislators to reform property taxes and pensions, as well as decreases in general state aid, transportation and other state funding, according to the budget presentation on the district website. That also includes teacher salaries, part of the district’s continuing negotiations with its teachers union, Local Educators Association of District 300.
Finance officials for the Carpentersville school district could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Meantime, U46’s budget will balance at just under $416 million.
The Elgin school district will bring in $478.9 million total in revenue and spend $493.5 million total, balancing as it spends down the money from bonds it sold last year.
In addition to spending on projects for which those bonds had been approved, U46 also has budgeted a $6 million increase in employee benefit costs, Chief Operations Officer Jeff King has said. The contract approved this summer with the Elgin Teachers Association also raises the base pay for teachers by .75 percent this school year and allows pay increases for more education or time spent in the district.
While the Elgin district’s budget passed Monday with no comment from school board members, two Bartlett residents and one from Wayne had spoken Sept. 10 at a public hearing on that budget before the last school board meeting.
One had complained about the amount she paid in property taxes to U46, and several had called for the elimination of the district’s chief of equity and social justice position, which comes with a six-figure salary. That position since has been filled with an interim chief.
