The Highlands School District is expected to maintain property taxes for the fourth consecutive year, despite a $4 million deficit in the proposed 2026-27 budget.
Director of Finance Paul Paradise said the district is one of only eight in the county that hasn’t increased taxes in the past three years.
The school board will vote Monday on the tentative $58.5 million budget, which maintains the tax rate of 25.13 mills.
The owner of a home assessed at the district’s median value of $123,500 would again pay $3,103.
One mill of taxes brings in $1.03 million at Highlands.
As proposed, budget revenues total $54.6 million and expenses $58.5 million. The difference will be made up using money from the district’s fund balance, Paradise said.
Expenses are projected to increase 1.2% from this school year’s $54 million, which Paradise called reasonable.
About two-thirds of proposed expenses are tied to salaries and benefits, totaling about $37 million, he said. That’s up about $2 million over this school year.
The cost to educate each of the district’s 1,952 students is $27,775, Paradise said.
Transportation, construction services and equipment costs also are up over this school year.
The board on Monday night announced $1.6 million in proposed capital projects that include new turf at Golden Rams Stadium and
districtwide paving work.
Paradise said there are no notable revenue decreases compared to this year. The district is expected to bring in $22.3 million from local sources, $30.9 million from the state and $1.3 million in federal money.
The board is expected to vote on the final budget during its meeting June 15.
