School Budget Approved, $92 Tax Increase for Averaged Assessed Home

Oakland’s was one of the 39 local school budgets voted on Tuesday afternoon and evening. They are happy to announce that they were among the 36 of the 39 whose budgets were approved.

The net school tax for 2013-14 voted on by the public totaled at $26,046,995. That is a 2 percent increase on the 2012-13 net school tax which was $25,536,270.

“We’re very grateful to the community for their support in approving the budget,” said Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey Feifer.  “That support will allow us to move on with all the initiatives we are planning for next year.”

The budget that was approved on Tuesday includes a 1.97 percent increase in total tax to be raised for the school year. That number translates to a $92 tax increase on the averaged assessed home in Oakland.

The vast majority of taxes collected, 75 percent, will be allocated to the instruction sector. Instruction expenses include Special Education Tuition, Instructional Salaries/Benefits and Support Services.

The school district did lose $121,452 in grant money or 18.8 percent of what they received in grant money for 2012-13 budget and still managed to come in under the 2 percent state levy cap.

Budget approval was not the only item on the ballot. Carita Shelkin was also on the ballot, running unopposed, for the open spot on the school board.

“We certainly welcome [Shelkin] to the Board of Education. She has served as a PTO president in the district and we are happy to see her working with the board members now.”

Jennifer Matts, a former school board president, has stepped away after nine years on the board and Shelkin will be stepping in to fill her spot.

“We also want to say a thank you to our outgoing board member Jennifer Matts. She has worked tirelessly on behalf of the students, staff and community. We wish her luck.”

A detailed presentation of the budget and the districts plans can be found here.