Local school districts will be taking a close count this week to see how many students are enrolled in class.
This has a direct bearing on how much money local districts can have from the state and has a direct bearing on school budgets now being worked on. School District of Rhinelander Director of Business Services Marta Kwiatkowski says besides enrollment, property tax values will be released on October 15 which determines how much money will be coming from local taxpayers and from state aid.
She says as Rhinelander might have a $1.5 million surplus working on next year's budget, but it will apply to the current referendum period. It was $4 million for the first year, $5 million for the second year and $6 million for the third year. She says school administration wanted to make it easier for the taxpayers so the surplus funds this year will be saved and put into the third year of the referendum...
"....we asked taxpayers to approve referendum for the same amount for three years. That money is going into the fund balance and will be available for year number three..."
Kwiatkowski says the district also won an appeal concerning a state energy exemption concerning school boilers and received $490,000 added to the base this year and years coming up.
Kwiatkowski says the final budget will be discussed in October, but for right now, she says, the district's budget situation is looking positive.
