North Wasco County SD 21 adopts $64.9 million budget, sets property tax rate at $5.2399 per $1,000

The North Wasco County School District 21 budget committee approved a proposed budget of $64,896,163 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and authorized a property-tax levy of $5.2399 per $1,000 of assessed value. The motion to adopt the aggregate budget and levy was made by the Chair and seconded; the committee recorded a 7–2 vote in favor.

District staff emphasized that personnel-related costs account for the majority of spending. A presenter noted that payroll and associated services make up roughly 73% of the district's budget and estimated that, if in-house services supplied by the education service district were included, the true personnel share would be closer to 80%.

On transportation, staff reviewed the fuel line: prior-year actuals were about $113,000–$114,000, the current-year budget had $170,000, and the presenter set $150,000 for next year while projecting about $143,000 for the current year. With state reimbursement estimated around 70%, the presenter said the local exposure from a potential $43,000 overspend would shrink to about $13,000, or roughly 0.02% of the total budget.

Committee members raised line-item and housekeeping questions during the review, including a phantom FTE flagged in the payroll/ERP records that has no pay associated and will be removed for the next budget. Staff also confirmed that certain federal grant lines dropped to zero because funding was not available and that Title I private‑school pass-through consultations continue as required.

The chair moved adoption of the budget and the tax levy, stating, “I move that the proposed budget for North Wasco County School District 21 for the fiscal year beginning 07/01/2026 be approved in the aggregate amount of $64,896,163,” and that property taxes be levied at $5.2399 per thousand in support of the general fund. Following a second, the motion passed with a recorded tally of 7 in favor and 2 opposed.

Next steps: the adopted budget and levy will take effect for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026; staff said they will correct identified line-item omissions (for example, middle school athletics) where allowable under state budget adjustment rules prior to final adoption.