The Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly will consider introduction of two big-money items during Monday’s regular meeting: The school district budget and the borough budget.
The Ketchikan School Board just approved next year’s district budget, which totals about $42 million. That includes about $8.3 million in local funding, including in-kind services.
Borough officials used conservative estimates regarding federal funding sources and the potential revenue from a local tobacco tax, which is dedicated to school funding but still needs voter ratification. As a result, there is an approximately $400,000 projected shortfall for the school district budget.
Therefore, the Assembly will need a supermajority of at least 5 members voting to dip into the borough’s school reserves fund to make up that difference.
The borough budget, also set to be introduced on Monday, totals about $53.2 million.
Both budgets will come back for a second vote, if approved in first reading.
Also on Monday’s agenda is an ordinance that will increase airport rates for after-hours services, and will pass on the cost of credit card fees to ferry passengers who use cards to pay the toll. The airport was charged about $30,000 in bank fees this year for ferry passengers who pay with cards, according to the borough.
Monday’s meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. in Borough Assembly chambers. Public comment will be heard at the start of the meeting.
