The local tax for Great Bend USD 428 will be close to 45.931 mills next year, Superintendent Khris Thexton said at Tuesday’s budget hearing. With an increase in local taxes for the supplemental general budget and a decrease in bonded indebtedness, the net result is “a wash.” Last year’s tax rate was 45.946 mills.
However, each mill will raise more money for the district this year. The assessed valuation is estimated at just over $157 million, compared to last year’s $152.1 million and $148.7 million the year before that.
There being no comments from the public at the budget hearing, the budget was approved.

By the numbers
Thexton shared additional information that went into preparing the budget:
• Enrollment is 2,831 FTE (full-time equivalent), a 7 percent increase from last year’s 2,658. There’s also a 7 percent increase in the number of students receiving free meals, 1,800. An additional 325 students receive reduced-price meals.
• Total district debt is under $2.7 million. For 2016-2017 it was over $4.4 million and in 2015-2016 it was nearly $6.2 million.
• The average salary for the district’s 20 administrators $92,872; last year there were 21 and the average was $93,012.
• The average salary for 261 full-time teachers was $41,904; last year there were 266 and the average was $41,802.
• 100 percent of the $3.89 million supplemental general fund budget is used for instruction. The supplemental budget was $3.7 million in 2016-2017 and almost $4.1 million in 2015-2016.
• Total revenue for 2017-2018 (state, federal and local) is $43.2 million, compared to $45.76 million in 2016-2017 and $48.5 million in 2015-2016. Revenues per pupil this year are $14,890, compared to $16,474 in 2016-2017 and $16,501 in 2015-2016.