The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is asking the borough for just over $49 million for fiscal year 2017. That’s the highest amount allowable under state law. The state is poised to increase education funding next year, which means local municipalities can spend more on their schools, as well. Next year’s requested contribution is more than $780,000 above what the borough contributed to the district’s current budget.
The school district’s total budget proposal for next year is nearly $151 million. Even if the additional funding from the state and borough comes through, the district’s budget still reflects millions of dollars in reductions, and would operate at a deficit of more than $200,000.
The assembly also is slated to consider shortening the timeframe in which sales taxes are exempted on groceries from nine months to six months, as a way to recover revenue expected to be lost in state budget cuts.
And discussion of local option zoning will continue, including consideration of a required separation distance from licensed marijuana facilities and local option zones.
The borough assembly meets at 6 p.m. today at the George A. Navarre Borough Building in Soldotna.