BEATRICE – The Beatrice Public School District has a new budget for 2023-2024. "Overall tax asking total is $16,313,534. That's a dollar four-five-three-zero-eight tax rate....which is a three percent reduction in the tax rate."


Superintendent Jason Alexander says the approximately $45.9 million total budget represents about a six percent increase in the overall budget. The school board approved the budget, tax request and tax rate Tuesday night. The board previously voted to authorize up to a six percent increase in tax request as a hedge against higher expenses in the future.


"We're not accessing that full six percent. We accessed an additional 2.79 percent...which is $15,959,999. That is the tax asking for the general fund and the building fund."  The district has a school facility payment of about $1.6 million due in 2025.


The district’s general fund went up about $1.18 million….and the building fund up about $237,000. Alexander says budgeting is not exact, based on unknowns about future expenses.


"There are increases we know are coming. The biggest one, of course, being our wage increases...85-to-90 percent of our budget. We added an additional bus route this year. It did not cost us anything, but we still had a three percent increase in fee, according to the contract. We know that increase will be there next year and in future years. Curriculum and software updates...we know those are coming...textbook updates...district repairs. Last year we had a hailstorm come through. We know that this coming year, we will be doing some hail repair, yet....that will come out of the building fund. And, of course the new van and the field turf (replacement at the House of Orange). It brings our estimated expenses to $2,034,000."


This year, property valuation within School District 15 increased about 13-percent, with double-digit increases common across Gage County as properties sell for higher prices.


No members of the public attended the school board’s hearings on the budget and tax request.


Work continues on a new prekindergarten to fifth grade elementary school near 33rd and Lincoln. Recently, paved parking was installed along the south side of the school near the main entrance. Officials say some painting on the inside of the facility has begun and one small section of concrete interior floor remains to be poured.