Greene County school board previews FY27 budget; staff flag $2.7 million shortfall and millage options

Greene County finance staff on May 21 presented the district’s tentative fiscal-year 2027 budget, telling the board that projected expenditures of about $57 million exceed revenues by roughly $2.7 million. The presenter said reserves would be used to cover the shortfall under the current assumptions, leaving an estimated ending fund balance of $13.2 million (23.22% of expenditures), below the district’s historical cushion but within available waivers.

Staff walked the board through drivers of the gap: required increases in the Teachers Retirement System (TRS) rate and health-insurance costs, a literacy-coach requirement partly funded by the state but creating local budget pressure, and one-time transfers in the previous year that are not recurring. The presenter said ad valorem taxes account for about 73.25% of district revenue and that a net increase in the tax digest produced a $4.6 million revenue boost compared with the prior year.

To close the gap, staff presented millage-rate scenarios and estimates: the current millage (9.847) and example increases to 10.00 and 10.45 mills; staff said a 10.45 rate could, in their scenario, produce a balanced budget without drawing down reserves. The presenter reviewed required public-notice and hearing dates: budget advertised June 4; hearings June 11 at 6:00 p.m. and June 18 at 5:00 p.m.; board vote on budget planned at the June 18 meeting (with millage typically adopted later in July/August after final assessor information).

Board members asked for clarifications about fund-balance trends, revenue assumptions and the state allotment sheets needed to finalize charter-school payments. Staff said they would provide updated figures at next meetings and that some $1.8 million of the identified gap is discretionary for board decision-making, while roughly $2.1 million is already tied to required or previously approved expenditures.

The board did not take a final budget or millage vote at the meeting; staff emphasized additional hearings and an updated budget will be provided in June.