District 99 Tentative Budget Available for Public Viewing

proposed budget is available for public viewing both online and at the District 99 Administrative Center. A budget hearing will be held on Sept. 19 at 7:45 p.m.

The District 99 Board of Education gave tentative approval to the $76 million spending plan on Aug. 15.

The budget is a balanced one, according to District 99. The district ended 2010-2011 with a net increase of nearly $3 million to its operating funds. Revenues exceeded the budget by 3 percent while expenditures were 1 percent under budget.

“We’ve been bracing ourselves and planning for cuts in state aid, but have continued to receive relatively stable levels of support,” said District 99 Controller Mark Staehlin in a district release.

The district proposes using its operating fund to pay for a large heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) project and to recall $715,000 of outstanding bonds. The bonds were originally issued in 2001. Recalling them will save taxpayers more than $63,000 in interest over the next four years.

Student fees will be not be increased for the 2011-2012 school year.

The district has also hired eight staff members to meet higher than expected enrollment numbers and to beef up reading and special education.

“Our careful management of the taxpayers’ dollars has allowed us to continue offering high quality educational programs to every student at and ," Staehlin said in the release.