Riverview School District taxpayers could see a 5.3% tax increase next year under the district’s proposed budget.

The 1.279 mill real estate tax hike for next year will be used to cover expenses associated with rising health insurance rates, updated curriculum, two new teacher positions and hiring a director of special education.

For a property assessed at $100,000, the new millage rate of 25.4023 would mean an additional $127.94 in taxes.

The proposed $26.9 million budget would have been left with a more than $860,000 deficit without the tax increase, said Sheila Lubert, the district’s business manager.

The board unanimously passed the proposal this week with members Brian Hawk and Antonio Paris voting virtually.

“Just to clarify, this is the proposed final budget,” board President Jennifer Chaparro said. “This is just to advertise and still discuss hereafter.”

Information on the budget will be posted for public viewing for 30 days before final adoption.

Revenues and expenditures are projected to increase by about $1.06 million or 1.04% from last year, according to the board’s report.

Contributing to the increase in expenditures is the district’s plan to create two new teaching positions, as well as a position for director of special education. Verner Elementary School Principal Christina Monroe currently doubles as the district’s special education director.

“We’ve talked for years about needing a special education director, which I think is a priority,” board member Wendy Wilton said. “It’s not sustainable to continue to have a principal as a special ed director.”

Wilton also pointed out that Riverview is no longer receiving federal funds for covid relief, cutting off access to money that the district previously used to provide small things for students and staff.

The budget dedicates just over $5.6 million to a variety of support services, around $11.8 million to regular programs and a little over $1 million in student transportation.

Paris suggested forgoing a tax increase and, instead, rearranging the general fund budget so the needed $860,000 is taken out of the capital reserve rather than acquired from increased taxes.

“At the beginning of this year, we were asked to move funds that were accrued in interest of an upward of $2 million to our capital reserves with the idea that that could come back out and be used elsewhere,” Paris said. “I think that, in this case, it is worthwhile to take that out of our fund balance for this year.”

Board member Leanne Jacobs-Rohan defended a tax hike.

“It’s a $200 increase for me,” she said. “My taxes go to a lot of things that I don’t want them to. At least I can be proud that (the extra $200) is going to something good. It’s helping the community.”

Board member Stefani Garibay landed in the middle of the two opinions. She suggested that the board only raise taxes by half of the proposed percentage and take the remaining half out of the reserve.

Members agreed to discuss all of the suggested options at their next public study session at 7 p.m. June 3 in the auditorium of Tenth Street Elementary School.

The board will vote June 10 to officially approve a budget after a public hearing on the same night. The hearing will take place at 7 p.m. in the elementary school’s auditorium.

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