PORTAGE — According to business manager Jeff Vasilko, the Portage Area School Board raises taxes every other year to maintain the school’s local effort, which determines the amount of money the state gives back or withholds from the district each year.

Since the district didn’t raise taxes last year, the board voted 6-3 to approve the 2026-27 preliminary budget’s tax structure Wednesday with a 2-mill tax increase, which Vasilko said will generate about $70,385 in revenue for the district. Board members Susan Berardinelli, Nancy Sherbine and Kelli Swires voted against the proposed tax increase.

With the increase, revenues for the preliminary budget are set at $16,504,454.91, leaving the district with a shortfall of about $185,000. The budget’s expenses total $16,689,516.56.

Vasilko said the deficit will be covered by the district’s general fund, which had a balance of about $1.8 million as of June 30, 2025.

The district’s new millage rate would be set at 58.64 mills, Vasilko said, noting the median assessed value of a property in the district is $12,500.

A district property owner would pay about an additional $25 per every $12,500 a property is assessed at, Vasilko said.

Wednesday’s vote by the board was merely to advertise the preliminary budget with a 2-mill tax increase, Vasilko said, noting the tax increase is “not set in stone.”

The budget will remain on display at the district’s administrative office, 84 Mountain Ave. A final budget will be adopted at the June 10 board meeting.

In other business, the board reappointed John Jubina as its treasurer for a one-year term beginning June 1. The board also approved a staff member’s request for a compensated professional leave for the 2026-27 school year and another staff member’s request for a sabbatical leave of absence for the period of July 1 to Dec. 31.

The board also approved the $80,366 bid of Vale Wood Farms to supply milk for the 2026-27 school year. There were no other bidders for the contract, according to the board’s meeting agenda.