Um but this budget isn't really talking about programs. We're talking about $7 million in capital improvements. So, um I do have a prepared statement. This has been one of the most remarkable budget seasons I can recall. In just four months, the Esham Township School District went from facing a $7 million budget deficit to proposing an $18 million tax levy increase. Prior to the last meeting, I emailed all the board members about how I would have voted and I still don't vote. I don't fault any of you for your votes. The budget development is a process and that vote was just one step along the way. However, between then and now, more work should have been done to address the expenses, particularly transportation costs where which are projected to reach uh 8 million next year, a major and growing financial pressure that remains unadressed, even with the plan to outsource.
Um, wrongs that could have possibly been done in the past that I'm in discussions of correcting that have been done to you that I maybe not may not have been as uh in the loop as I should have been about the things that were going on and a little bit ignorant to the things that I voted on. So, I look forward to possibly finding some kind of union to where, you know, you don't have to meet with all of us, but you can meet with me and we can have these discussions and actually move this city forward. There's certain issues that we could address, but I'm not going to put them all out here. I'm looking and I'm hoping that Mansin and you correct the things that are online. Being that uh the lawyer sits next to me does not mean that I have my own personal lawyer.
I feel that this bond is so imperative for our school district that we have so many things we really need to do that I'm just concerned with the doing the maintenance and the m this year is all I just wanted to put that out there because I don't think it's a good time. So member D I want to be sure I I understood. So um if not renewed this coming year as discussing election it is an automatic phase out the following year. So, November 25. So, let's use dates. So, if it is not reduced in in November 25, beginning July 1 of 26, the district will need to cut $8 million approximately. And we would start those conversations probably in December or January of December of this year, January of next year. Yes. Okay. I make a motion to uh recommendation to the governing board to call for the continuation of the 15% special maintenance and operations override and authorize expenditures necessary to order, notice, and administer the election.
Okay. Yeah. Okay. Great question. Okay. So then we talked about Boulder Hill again. Highway 30 riot cliff there is no change there. They got it at 14 points. We all know that it's hazardous especially with the uh amount of traffic and the speeds in that area. We're considering that as hazardous and that is our recommendation to the board. Church Hill and Plank there is an intersection at uh Fifth Street crossing at Bluegrass is this ELC entrance that is considered hazardous. We will not use that as um a crosswalk for safe walking path. So, that is another one that we're going to recommend for the board to continue that as a hazardous intersection. And that is fifth at ELC entrance. Not I said blueg grass earlier, but it's ELC entrance. Yeah, it's not really an intersection. It's just a crosswalk there. Uh Grand Park, we have two areas.
I think what is an achievable worldclass goal? It's okay not to say 100% because I are you talking about in terms of a number achievable world class goal. So I'm going to answer your question without answering your question and and then if you're like that's not what I'm looking for then I'll answer it again. Um, I I I think it's I I like to talk in terms of sports analogies sometimes because folks like sports and they watch sports and they get it. Um, and um, you know, I just remember a few years ago when Purdue just was not they did not have a very good basketball team. And so um, a couple years ago they had a a really good basketball team. And so I think folks get it when we talk about sports teams, how you can be up sometimes and how you can be down sometimes because the athletes aren't the same.
It's it has been a learning experience for everyone involved and and kudos to the crew there for for handling that and uh I think the SRO have had to come out and help direct some traffic at some point. So yeah, it's uh we're going to get through this. Uh everyone together they're going to get through this. So congratulations on that. All right, that's all I have on my business. No. Okay. Can I get a motion to adjourn? So moved. Second. Motion a second. All those in favor? I. Any oppos? Thank you folks. Have a good evening. Yeah.
So uh that number will continue to go up as those property taxes come in. uh in May and June and I will entertain any questions that anyone else has about the financials.
You're up by four and there's three minutes left. That goal hurt a little more than um the other ones. Yeah. Well, especially after Kelly got injured. Like, it's just that's not what he wants. You know, that's a tough one as a goalie that's had a good game. Yeah, for sure. Heart wins the jaw. Great win for the Raiders right there. For sure. I mean, don't jinx them too much.
Tonight, I'm clear on how I would vote. I urge you to consider approving only half of the proposed tax levy increase and advocate to the DOE to allow the district to bank the unused cap for use over the next three years. The DOE created this opportunity for you to go up to adequacy. The DOE can allow you to cap bank it. I think it keeps the flexibility for the future. I know you all concerned about not taking care not taking it because it might not be available to you, but you need to advocate for it. There is no justification for the board to double dip on tax living increasings, taking both the 14.9 million adequacy adjustment, which is that 14,000 per pupil amount, and the 2.3 million growth enrollment adjustment amount. We're talking $10 million in tax levy. Last year, our levy was 70 million.
We saw that in a post. you know uh things are sent to me whether I want to you know I don't know if people are doing it intentionally to to continue the conflict between you and I which I don't feel is necessary but you may feel is necessary understand that I have no animosity towards you in any way shape or form there may be have been an issue uh during my grandfather's wake because you caught me at a bad time and any man in this room will know we had our issues beforehand exactly and I did apologize, but that's neither here nor there. The fact the fact that you have continually attacked me for my Bible study, for my faith, for all these things, they're all online and I come here and I ask you in front of all these people to begin to correct these things and speak.
Second. Motion carries. Next, we have uh requests for future agenda items. Okay. Hearing none, I move to adjourn the meeting. Second. third. Motion carries. We are adjourned. Thank you.
the uh crossing ridge road at 135th and Grand Park Boulevard that is considered hazardous per the engineer study. We're asking and recommending that we continue to keep keep that as a study uh hazardous intersection as well as ridge road at 127 the popular crossing that is considered hazardous per the engineer's recommendation and we would like to ensure that that's continue to stay hazard and just for a point of clarity these are the hazardous crossings within each school boundary but there are additional crossings that are deemed as non-hazardous but you're only going through the ones that are hazardous. Correct. We're only going through the ones that's hazardous. And again, these are the ones we focused on and the study focused on any of those that are within that one and a half mile because again, our study is for eligibility for busing. And so anyone within a mile and a half, what crossings or what safe path in those intersections would they cross will be considered hazardous per ID do?
And so when we start to talk about students and can we reach this number, it's the it's the same thing um in terms of everybody's individual potential. And so trying to say that we can always reach this number is hard to to say um because it's not the same group of kids. Now, if we had the same group of kids year in and year out or they all had the same ability, um, then we could probably get a little bit closer to to a number, um, so it's it's it's hard to say, but I think we can stay in that window. But that's not what you're looking for, is it? I think I think we can stay in that window between um 80 88 89 to 90 92 fairly consistently. Um, and then some years we'll have great years and and and break above that.
Any questions for Mr. Mlofflin? I will entertain a motion uh reference the financial reports. Make a motion to recommend the approval of the March 2025 financial reports as presented. Thank you, Mr. Wall. And can I get a second? Thank you, Mr. Mlullen. Any other questions for Mr. Mclofflin before we vote?
Just three minutes left. But it is looking that way. Yeah. Oh, I haven't had that problem this game. That was Well, as soon as I'll say it, they'll come back. Hart and it dishes it off to Hart. Re's just going to try to kill some clock here. I think that's all they need to do. Yeah, I know it's true. Atwood up to Olsen. Olsen to Sullivan. Sullivan to Hart. Back to Sullivan. And that is what they're doing. Cam what they should be doing. Yeah. So 2 minutes and 15 seconds left on the clock. It's poked away, but Hart there to help out. [Music] H just going to play a little keep away here. Hart it with it. Hart it. Little spin move to Atwood. And there's a whistle. Timeout Raiders, I think. Yeah, that's an interesting one. That's where I mean that's where I get mad.
This year it's going to be 88 million. The state calculates our adequacy budget the 84 at $84.7 million. So they say, you know, we take that $14 million or $14,000 per pupil and they factor in all these things and they say EAM, your adequacy budget is $84.7 million. They also say your local fair share is $85 million. They take our property values and our income and they determine what our local fair share is. No matter which number you use, the proposed $88 million tax levy exceeds the standard by 2.7 or 3.3 million. This is a serious concern. Frankly, it looks like a money grab at the taxpayers's expense. Adding to these concerns, the district still does not have clear strategic goals. Without defined goals, it becomes even harder to justify the significant tax increases to the public or to prioritize spending decisions responsibly. Strategic planning should come before asking the community to vote.
There's is I'm right across the street from you. You can ask me these questions and we can talk rather than you having to go broadcast things online trying to have this negative angle on everything. There's no need for it. I'm going to be honest with you. There's no need to defend what happened today that you and I respect everyone here. But you know what? You used the wrong platform to do it. Did I? Did I? Yes, you did. Okay. Okay. Okay. I'm addressing. Uh, no they did not. You're making stuff up again. Again. Again. You're making stuff up, but I'm not here to debate with you. I'm not here to debate with you. All right. Mr. Mr. Garto, please. Yes. It would be nice if you corrected those things. You said you want to work with the community. I'm asking you. I'm not telling you.
I just want I was going to wait till the end, but I think I need to understand. So, if there's an alternate way of getting to the school in a safe route with that they walk a mile and a half or less, then that would be considered a safe route, not a hazardous route. Correct. Correct. So even though the Fifth Street one was hazardous, but because they can just go to Fifth Street and Bluegrass and cross the street, as long as they're not walking more than a mile and a half altogether in order to do that, then that would be considered a a safe route. That would not require busing. Correct. So let me let me talk about Fifth and Bluegrass since you brought that up because I don't think that's on the next one. But Fifth and Bluegrass was considered hazardous if we did not have a crossing guard there.
And then last question, new diploma starts with incoming freshmen next year. Is that true? How how do we think that will impact graduation rates for those kids in four years? Oh, uh, that's a good question. Um, and can can I ask you to ask it again in the in the in the context of this next I'm 0 for two. Yes, of course. No, no, no, no, you're not. You're not. It's a great question. But I think there are some things here that will come to light that will be like, "Oh, okay. I understand the answer a little bit better." I understand. We're still learning a lot. So, it's fair. Yep. Absolutely. Thank you, Lo. Logan, I I know you just texted me. I am texting with him just because I think it's hard for Logan to hear at times, but is there anything you wanted to ask or weigh in on on this topic?
Hearing none, let's vote on the motion board. While you're voting uh during this time, um it's hard to believe um but Pat's been with us four months now and he has been such a tremendous asset to us in our office. as you can see, he's become quite the student of the financials within that. Um, and Pat, I just want to publicly say thank you for everything that you're doing. You, um, your arrival has helped us out in the office tremendously. Secondly, um, at the next work session, uh, Pat will be giving you a complete update from this last legislative session. He alluded to it in a couple different pieces here. Um, it's not rosy. I'm not going to pretend that it is for us financially. Um, and we're going to face some challenges, but it's nothing that we can't we can't get over. And so, um, just want you to know that that that presentation is coming at the next work session.