What makes a school district¹s revenue and expenses fluctuate?
Often, legislative changes eliminate revenue the district once expected. For example, APS once received $1.1 million annually from personal tangible exemption reimbursement from the state. HB 66 phases that revenue out over the next three years, and there is no revenue replacement. The telephone public utility tax is another example. APS once received $3.5 million annually, but now revenue will decline to $2.5 million by 2009 and then phase out completely over the next decade. The district is also losing significant income from the loss of students. Operating costs, just like in your household, continue to rise. Since 2001, health insurance premiums increased 69%, gas bills rose 40%, and we are paying 83% more in fuel for our buses. The cost of transporting community school students increased 25% in just one year.
