The property tax rate for the Hortonville School District will increase from $9.35 to $9.70 per $1,000 of equalized value.

The 2014-15 budget was shared at the Annual Meeting of the Hortonville Area School District Monday, Oct. 27.

Director of Business Services David Wuebben provided a budget summary to the Board of Education.

Wuebben explained that the budget and tax levy this year directly relates to the 2013 approved referendum for various building projects, and the necessary staffing.

Wuebben said the estimated $9.70 mill rate factors in the district-wide property valuation growth of 3.1%.

State General Aid will grow by a modest $83,000 this year, which is less than a half percent.

He said some of the more significant expenses this year included additional district staff for the new elementary and other district-wide program needs totaling $684,000.

The salary increase for staff is allowed at the Consumer Price Index of 1.46 percent, totaling $274,000.

Cleaning, utility and snowplowing service to all new building spaces relating to the projects funded by the referendum total $341,112. He said some of these expenses are based on a partial year of operation.

The district also saw an increase in its Debt Service Fund by $457,909 in order to support additional debt payments relating to the referendum.

Wuebben supplied an explanation of the Revenue Limit. It read that since 1993, Wisconsin schools have been required to use a revenue cap formulation to determine what budget growth is allowed for the coming year. Student count and an allowed increase per student determine what increase, if any, will be allowed.

Within the Hortonville School District, Wuebben said student enrollment has increased by 40 students over last year’s September count date. District-wide enrollment totaled 3,669 students following the 2014 third Friday headcount.

Hortonville High School has the largest number of students within the district. Enrollment at the high school increased from 1,069 in 2013, to 1,097 students for the 2014-15 schoolyear.