The most important item of the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) School Board’s first budget briefing for 2017  was the subject that wasn’t discussed.  For the first time in many budget cycles, HSE Schools will not be looking at spending cuts.  That’s because a funding referendum passed overwhelmingly in May of this year.

HSE Schools Chief Financial Officer Mike Reuter outlined a proposed 2017 General Fund Budget of roughly $128.7 million.  That does not include the many specialty funds, such as debt service, transportation and capital projects.

Reuter told the board there are two major components to know in fashioning a spending plan – the number of students and the assessed property valuations in the school district.

The number of students in HSE this school year has been reported to the state as 21,137, which is an increase of 307 over the previous school year.  The kindergarten class this year totals 1,470, which is very close to estimates.

Reuter projects the school’s component of the 2017 local property tax rate to rise over last year, at $1.26 per $100 of assessed property valuation, compared to the 2016 projected rate of $1.13.  This rate can be complicated by many factors, including deductions allowed, increases in property valuations and the impact of property tax caps.

Property in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts will still pay school property taxes for amounts approved in recent referendum votes, according to Reuter.