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Park City school board to consider $96M budget, tax increase

The Park City Board of Education at its meeting Tuesday night is set to discuss the district's tentative $96 million budget. It includes an $800,000 tax increase for teacher compensation.
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The Park City Board of Education at its meeting Tuesday night is set to discuss the district's tentative $96 million budget. It includes an $800,000 tax increase for teacher compensation.

The Park City school board is set to review a tentative budget Tuesday night. It comes in at more than $96 million for next year, including an $800,000 tax increase for teacher compensation.

The Park City School District is in year three of a four-year deal with its employees. At the outset, the board agreed to $800,000 tax increases in successive years to pay for it.

Business Manager Todd Hauber said the numbers worked out for the district last year so it didn’t need the anticipated tax increase, but that’s not the case this year. The tentative budget includes that tax increase, which would trigger public hearings this summer.

Hauber said the employee compensation package includes a 2.5% cost of living increase and a salary increase of roughly 2.5%-3.5%, depending on the employee.

The board is set to meet at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the district offices, 2700 Kearns Boulevard. The meeting will also be streamed on the district’s YouTube page, which can be found by searching YouTube for “PCSD communication.”

The tentative budget includes several items for board discussion that are identified as budget priorities. They include special education funding; hiring a diversity, equity and inclusion professional; hiring a public relations consultant; and additional funding for bus drivers.

Hauber said the district expects a net increase in state funding this year of about $2 million. About half of that is expected to be ongoing revenue, while the other half is described as one-time funding and earmarked for capital and technology-related projects.

That money comes at a perfect time, Hauber said, as the district embarks on a $130 million facilities upgrade plan.

The tentative budget also includes a 13% increase in the money the district is required to send back to the state, which is known as recapture. That total is expected to be nearly $15 million.

Alexander joined KPCW in 2021 after two years reporting on Summit County for The Park Record. While there, he won many awards for covering issues ranging from school curriculum to East Side legacy agriculture operations to land-use disputes. He arrived in Utah by way of Madison, Wisconsin, and western Massachusetts, with stints living in other areas across the country and world. When not attending a public meeting or trying to figure out what a PID is, Alexander enjoys skiing, reading and watching the Celtics.