Batavia School District 101 is seeking 2.7 percent more money from taxpayers in 2015.
School board members unanimously approved a total levy request of $73.7 million, which includes $9.9 million for bond payments. Last year’s total levy request was $71.8 million, according to district financial documents.
Based on the levy request, the owners of the average Batavia home, estimated at $243,990, would pay an extra $38 in property taxes, assuming property values and other factors remain consistent, said Kris Monn, assistant superintendent for finance.
Administrators said they recommended the higher tax collection due to Senate Bill 16, and the uncertainty of future state funding for the district. The bill calls for shifting state funding away from wealthier school districts — like Batavia — toward poorer ones.
Administrators also said they recommended the increase due to the number of capital projects they hope to complete. They currently budget $1.5 million for projects.
The district previously hoped to borrow $15 million to pay for these projects, which included synthetic turf athletic fields, windows and parking lots, but voters refused, rejecting a Nov. 4 referendum.
The largest increase is in the special education fund, at $8,500,000 compared to $7,300,005. Monn said this was due to the district hitting its maximum rate for the education levy.
“Historically we have levied more of an increase in the education levy, and would have continued to do so were the individual levy maximums not an issue,” he said in an email.
Resident Sylvia Keppel said she isn’t surprised by the board’s decision to approve the increased levy, but feels it was an insincere decision.
“The school board doesn’t listen to the people,” she said. “They weren’t listening when the referendum was defeated. People are taxed-out in Batavia.”
Keppel, who attended the district’s finance meeting last week, said the district plans to move forward with the capital projects proposed in the referendum within the means of their current budget. For this reason, she said it was disingenuous to attribute tax increases to state funding.her
“If they wanted to cut their expenses, they could do it,” she said. “They could make it work.”
Resident Carl Dinwiddie said he believes public officials are too quick to seek more money, either through a levy or referendum.
“Batavians are losing ground every year due to these increases, and their salary increases and retirement increases don’t come close to keeping up with the tax increases,” he said.
