A $14,017,768 budget for fiscal year 2016-17 was approved last week by the Snowflake Unified School District Governing Board.

The July 14 meeting opened with a public hearing to give citizens an opportunity to ask any questions they had on the budget.

The state does not give the district the Average Daily Membership (ADM) numbers until May 2017, so the budget had to be built on an estimate of what the ADM will be next year, explained Business Manager Mark Ollerton. They used where they were at the 100th day this year for the estimate for next year.

There has been a decline the last three to four years, but this year there was growth in ADM. “We hope we are going to hold steady or grow,” said Ollerton.

He further explained that if the district overestimates the number of students, it must pay that extra money back to the state at the end of the year, and if it underestimates the numbers, the state will give the district the money due.

Teacher experience is also part of the equation, Ollerton explained, noting, “They take the teacher experience in the district and compare it to the state average.” He said that if you have more experienced teachers, the state provides more funds, because those teachers would earn a higher salary than a newer teacher.

Due to a decrease in the Teacher Experience Index from 1.0393 to 1.0197, the negative financial impact on the budget is $195,358.

District officials have been able to carry over money received from Proposition 103, but when it’s gone, it’s gone. Ollerton noted that all Prop. 301 money has gone to teachers.

The legislature cut 85.5 percent of District Additional Assistance (DAA), which was $957,723 leaving the district with $162,421, but the district had a larger budget in DAA because of carryover. The district spent $354,579 from carryover, Ollerton said, noting that it is going to keep going down until it is gone.

“Some good news to the public is tax rate,” said Ollerton. “I think we’re going to hold steady.”

The primary tax rate is $4.5833 per $100 assessed valuation.

Ollerton explained that bonds are paid through the secondary tax rate. The district has two bonds. The 2004 bond has a principal debt of $2,845,000 with interest of $444,800 for a total of $3,289,800, and is due in fiscal year 2022-23. The 2008 bond has a principal debt of $1,795,000 with $327,375.06 in interest for a total of $2,122,375.06 due in fiscal year 2023-24.

The secondary tax rate is $1.0544 per $100 assessed valuation.

“The bottom line is we’re forecasting growth,” said Ollerton, explaining that as enrollment increases, the tax rate will go down.

The lease purchase is paid from the revenue control limit from the savings created in energy expenditure budgets. The principal debt is $2,027,500 and will be paid in fiscal year 2028-29.

A summary of staffing shows that the district has 12 superintendent and principal positions, and 144 teachers with a staff-pupil ratio of 1 to 20.3.

Tony Tangalos spoke during the call to the public, saying he is very passionate to see education on marijuana due to his experiences growing up. He offered to help educate students at the high school and possibly the junior high school regarding marijuana use.

In other action July 14, the board:

* Approved the fiscal year 2015-16 projected cash balance form that shows a projected maintenance and operations balance of $419,076.76, unrestricted capital outlay of $521,661.24, adjacent ways of $152,167.97 and class B debt service of -$13,970.80.

* Approved changes to the Snowflake High School code of conduct in the handbook with a recommendation to clarify the statement regarding students leaving campus at lunch.

* Tabled an item on additional assistance reductions.