KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Mitch Borden/KMXT
The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly passed its budget for the upcoming year at a special meeting last night. This budget didn’t include any increase in the borough’s mill rate, but it did raise the funding allocated for the Kodiak Island Borough School District.
Earlier this year, the district estimated its budget for the coming year would have a shortfall of about $1.4 million. It asked for an increase in funding from the borough, but the assembly didn’t fully fund the request in its budget.
The borough did provide a partial raise to the district’s funding amounting to about $800,000. This increase, along with the revenue generated from the borough’s vehicle tax, which goes toward Kodiak’s schools, combined with an all but certain one-time increase to state education funding — shrunk the district’s shortfall from over a million dollars to around $150,000.
Larry LeDoux, Kodiak’s superintendent, says even if the borough’s budget didn’t give the district its full request it’ll prevent schools from making some dramatic cuts in classrooms.
“Well be okay. We’ll get through the year.I’m already thinking about FY 20. The next year, to figure out a way to work with the borough in a way where we don’t have to go through this every year.”
The Kodiak Island Borough Assembly voted 6 to 0 to pass its budget for the fiscal year 2019. Assemblyman Andrew Schroeder wasn’t present at the meeting, so he was unable to vote.
