As facility improvements continue, District 207 board approves leaner $247.7 million budget
The Maine Township High School District 207 board this week approved a slightly leaner budget for the 2023 fiscal year.
The roughly $247.7 million spending plan is more than $2.3 million smaller than the previous year's $250 million proposal, a drop of nearly 1%.
The new fiscal year began July 1. The 2022-23 school year began late last month.
More than $66 million of the funds allotted for spending this fiscal year will pay for continued construction projects at all three of the Park Ridge-based district's campuses, said Mary Kalou, the district's assistant superintendent for business.
This summer, career and technical education spaces at Maine East and Maine South, both in Park Ridge, were renovated, classrooms at Maine East and Maine West in Des Plaines were renovated and the field house at Maine South got a makeover, among other projects.
The facility improvement plan is being funded by $195 million in voter-approved loans and more than $46 million in district reserves.
All the projects are scheduled to wrap up by fall 2023.
In addition to the construction work, the budget includes staff salaries, employee benefits, supplies, and assorted services.
District 207 officials expect to collect more than $189.2 million in property taxes, fees and other revenue this fiscal year.
That's down nearly $61 million from the previous fiscal year's total of $249.9 million, a decrease of about 24%. The revenue prediction dropped because officials borrowed $65 million for the facility improvements a year ago, Kalou said.
Revenue from property taxes is expected to increase about $6 million this year due to the expiration of a special taxing district in downtown Des Plaines, documents show. Revenue from the state is expected to increase but federal revenue is expected to drop, documents show.
Additionally, a student resource fee is dropping to $250 from $370 per teen this year, which will reduce revenue by more than $500,000.
The school board unanimously greenlit the budget Tuesday.
Updates about the facility improvements, including photos, can be found online at maine207.org/construction. Videos of the work are available at maine207.org/video, while photos can be found at maine207.org/constructionphotos.