Princeton, Milaca school boards set preliminary levies

Preliminary levies are now set for the Milaca and Princeton school districts.

The Princeton and Milaca school boards both voted and approved the maximum levy amount for their respective districts during their meetings last week.

The Milaca School Board met on Monday, Sept. 16, when the board voted to decrease the levy by 8.56% compared to the previous year.

The cause of the decrease is due to a combination of an estimated drop in the general fund by $271,689, and a reduction in the general debt service fund by $154,073.

Those decreases are due to pandemic-related funding and unemployment costs, according to district Business Manager Christina Wordes.

In 2023, the total funds were $4.8 million, while it is estimated that this coming year will see a total fund of $4.4 million.

The Princeton School Board, on the other hand, voted to approve a slight increase with its preliminary levy.

The increase is expected at 1.46% or $142.6 million.

The changes are estimated to come from the district’s community education funds, which are seeing a small increase in the coming year.

Compared to the previous year, the district’s total levy was about $9.7 million, while this year’s is currently estimated at nearly $9.9 million.

Both districts approved the maximum preliminary levy, meaning the levy will have room to decrease prior to the final approvals in December following truth in taxation hearings. Now that the maximum is approved, they cannot increase.

The Milaca School Board will hold its annual truth in taxation hearing during its December school board meeting on Monday, Dec. 16 in the Milaca High School ALC building at 6 p.m.

The Princeton School Board will hold its annual truth in taxation hearing during its meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 6 p.m. in Princeton City Hall.

Reach Chloe Smith at chloe.smith@apgecm.com