Even though this school year has just begun, the Parkland School District administration is already working on the 2016-17 budget.

Business Manager John Vignone reported, during the Sept. 15 meeting, the timeline for the next budget is accelerated due to the primary election on April 26, 2016.

In most years, primary voting day is in May but it is earlier in presidential election years.

“The primary election determines the budget timeline,” Vignone said.

“It accelerates our timeline by 30 days in 2016.”

The preliminary budget for the next school year will need to be available for public inspection by Jan. 5, 2016.

Notification of Parkland’s Act 1 Index should be received from the state Department of Education by Sept. 30.

The index signifies the maximum tax increase allowable for each district.

“The last couple years, we’ve lived within the limits,” Vignone said.

“This year, we find it prudent to apply for exceptions.

“We need to protect ourselves going forward. We feel we need to apply for exceptions.”

He said the district may need extra revenue for full-day kindergarten, capital projects, and other items identified in the feasibility study underway by Stantec Architecture and Engineering LLC.

If exceptions are granted and the school district needs them for revenue, it may increase the millage above the Act 1 Index.

Administrators are presently conducting internal discussions in preparation for the 2016-17 budget.

During the meeting, board President Roberta Marcus referred repeatedly to the failure of the governor and legislature to approve the state budget due June 30.

The board granted unanimous approval to a resolution authorizing the administration to delay payment of tuition to charter schools until a commonwealth budget for 2015-16 is finalized and state funds are once again provided to Parkland.

The total amount of tuition Parkland paid for 226 students to attend charter schools last year was $2.4 million, or about $200,000 per month.

Marcus commented on the issue.

“This drives home the point that offering school choices comes with a cost that directly impacts our taxpayers,” Marcus said.

“We don’t feel the General Assembly intended the Charter School Law to exempt charters from bearing a share of the fiscal impacts the current budget impasse is causing traditional public schools or force school districts to hand over hypothetical subsidies we are currently not receiving.”