As Parkland School District Business Manager John Vignone provided a first look at the 2017-18 budget to the board at the Jan. 17 meeting, he noted some aspects, but not all, look better than last year.

The main sore point is the continuing increase in tuition for Parkland students attending charter and cyber schools.

Vignone is adding $600,000 of new money in 2017-18 to the $3.1 million cost in the previous budget.

“It may be higher,” Vignone said. “This is becoming extremely worrisome. We have 99 students in cyber schools and 149 in brick and mortar charter schools.”

He noted the district must send $11,000 for each traditional student and $22,000 for each special education student to his or her cyber or charter school.

The cost to educate those students at Parkland would be several thousand dollars less for each one, as the state has its own formula for determining the amounts owed to cyber and charter schools, explained Vignone.

He projects $172.3 million in expenditures for the budget and $166.3 million in revenue.

Although the deficit is $6 million, Vignone reported at this stage of preparation, the amount is lower than last year at the same time.

As administrators work to winnow the shortfall, they will be looking for increased revenue while also searching for ways to reduce costs.

Vignone said he expects a $1 million increase in property tax due to new construction and $300,000 more in Earned Income Tax from improvements in the job market.

Superintendent Richard Sniscak commented on the proposed tax rate for 2017-18.

“We are planning to live within the 2.5 percent index assigned to Parkland School District,” Sniscak said.

The allowable increase would then be 0.37 mill, according to Act 1, raising the district’s tax rate from the present 14.85 mills to 15.22 mills.

For every $100,000 of assessment, the increase would be $37.

To balance the budget at 15.22 mills, the district would need to eliminate the $6 million gap between projected revenues and expenditures.