Above photo: Part of a budget presentation at the Feb. 26 Gilboa-Conesville School Board budget workshop meeting. Photo by Chris English.
GILBOA-CONESVILLE — Gilboa-Conesville School Board members seem to have settled on a 2.5 percent property tax increase for next school year.
At a Thursday, Feb. 26 budget workshop meeting followed by a brief regular meeting, the school board reached consensus that 2.5 percent was the right number for 2026-2027. Nothing is set in stone until the board adopts a budget later this month or in April, and then district voters have final say on May 19 when they vote on the budget.
The state cap on a tax hike for Gilboa-Conesville for next school year is 3.28 percent. When asked by Superintendent Bonnie Johnson at the Feb. 26 meeting for a recommendation on a 2026-27 tax increase, District Treasurer Marianne Romito responded "I would recommend the cap. We haven't done that in the past, and 2.5 percent would be fair. It's really up to the board and what the board is comfortable with at this point."
Board member Karl Gockel Jr. said "I think 2.5 will get us to where we want to be, 2.5 is a fair number at this point," and other board members didn't voice any disagreement.
"2.5 seems appropriate for this year," Board President Greg Woodcock said.
Before the consensus on a tax increase, Romito gave a budget presentation, going through several areas and how costs in those areas are projected to increase for 2026-27.
Transportation costs are projected to rise from $935,759 to $971,492 next school year. instructional from $4,225,869 to $4,442,503 and food service from $340,407 to $384,871. Romito said the food service increase is because of a rise in health insurance costs for employees in that department. She added that foundation state aid is scheduled to increase by only 1 percent for 2026-27.
"They said something else might be coming but I wouldn't hold your breath," Romito said of state aid.
There will also be two transportation propositions on the May 19 ballot for voters to decide on: the purchase of a 60-passenger school bus for $181,534 and the purchase of a Chevrolet Suburban for $69,300.
According to a budget calendar presented at the meeting, the next budget workshop will be 6 p.m. on March 19 and will include an expenditures presentation. Following the workshop meeting on that same night, the regular meeting at 7 p.m. is scheduled to have a final budget review of revenues and expenditures and potential adoption of the 2026-27 budget and property tax report card.
A 6 p.m. board meeting on April 23 will include adoption of the budget if needed. A budget hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. on May 7. The public vote on the budget will be held noon to 8 p.m. May 19 in the gymnasium lobby at the school.