Metro

WILLIAMSBURG — The Williamsburg Community School District is facing an estimated $650,000 deficit for the 2026-27 school year, but is not likely to increase taxes to bridge the gap.

School board members looked at preliminary budget figures Tuesday night during their committee of the whole meeting.

According to business manager Kalie Zabrosky’s budget presentation, anticipated expenditures total $10,526,712, while revenue totals $9,872,305, leaving a $654,407 deficit. The district’s current millage rate is 9.5181.

Superintendent Lisa Murgas told the board that they aren’t recommending a tax increase for the next school year.

Looking at recent trends, Zabrosky said that the district, on average, raised taxes every three years. The district hasn’t raised taxes since the 2023-24 school year, when it was increased by 0.43 mills and, as a result, brought in $93,000 for the district.

The state budget projections may not be in the district’s favor in upcoming years, Murgas said, so raising taxes is something to think about in the future.

“I’m not saying to raise taxes for this year, but we don’t want to wait until there is a big loss to try to raise taxes one year because that will do nothing to help,” she said.

About 64% of expenditures account for salaries and benefits, while 23% is for purchased services, 7% is for supplies and equipment and 6% is for other uses, according to Zabrosky’s presentation.

Another chunk of expenditures includes purchasing books for the elementary and high schools, Zabrosky said, which totals to an $147,592 expenditure.

Murgas said the district previously used its Department of Education ESSER funding to purchase new curricula. Now that those licenses are expiring, they plan to renew them for science and math courses with district funds.

Other expenditures, including repaying multi-year loans and bonds for previous projects such as roof and HVAC repairs, also added to the expenditure figure.

The board is scheduled to vote on a preliminary budget at 7 p.m. May 12. Districts are required by law to approve a preliminary budget by May 31 and a final budget must be in place by June 30. The final budget must be available for public review 20 days prior to adoption.

Mirror Staff Writer Colette Costlow is at 814-946-7414.