Seine River trustees debate tax increase

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This article was published 25/02/2015 (3340 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There was discord around the Seine River trustee table on Tuesday night as debate centered on the division’s budget.

The budget recommendation, which will be brought back for final approval on March 10, passed by only a 5-3 vote with one abstention.

The recommendation, presented in a motion from trustee Gary Nelson, included a 4.5 percent increase to the mill rate, direction to draw $130,000 from surplus to avoid further mill rate percentage increase and the suggestion to add a full-time middle years arts and opportunities position for the division.

Trustees Christine Roskos, Jessie Cahill, and Theresa Bergson voted against the motion. Trustee Jennifer Stephansson abstained. Roskos and Cahill both balked at the idea of more than a 4 percent tax increase. Stephansson also expressed concern about the size of the tax increase but choose to abstain rather than vote.

Bergson indicated she would like to see additional funds allocated for resource positions rather than the arts position suggested by Nelson.

Hanover School Division is also expected to vote on its budget next month. The HSD board will meet on March 3 in a public meeting to approve its plan but has held its budget discussions in private.