Lebanon School Finances

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The data in the following five tables was used in an effort to analyze the 2004 budget for the Lebanon Community School Corporation.

Lebanon Community School Corporation

Property Tax Rates and Levies

(compiled September 1, 2003)

Collected

Collected

Collected

Collected

Collected

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

ASSESSED VALUATION

167,390,581

168,869,871

538,031,362

561,513,147

561,513,147

Rate - General Fund

2.5756

2.6744

0.9072

0.9039

Rate - Debt Service Fund

2.0403

2.3104

0.6242

0.7719

Rate - Capital Projects Fund

0.9535

1.0151

0.3631

0.3580

Rate - Transportation Fund

0.6150

0.5524

0.1652

0.1707

Rate - School Bus Replacement Fund

0.1112

0.0311

0.0372

Rate - Special Education Preschool Fund

0.0100

0.0100

0.0033

0.0033

TOTAL PROPERTY TAX RATE

6.1944

6.6735

2.0941

2.2450

Levy - General Fund

4,311,312

4,516,256

4,881,021

5,075,517

6,044,146

Levy - Debt Service Fund

3,415,270

3,901,569

3,358,392

4,334,320

4,717,334

Levy - Capital Projects Fund

1,596,069

1,714,198

1,953,592

2,010,217

1,937,141

Levy - Transportation Fund

877,711

932,637

888,828

958,503

1,082,066

Levy - School Bus Replacement Fund

89,647

187,783

167,328

208,883

253,814

Levy - Special Education Preschool Fund

16,739

16,887

17,755

18,530

30,369

TOTAL PROPERTY TAX LEVY

10,306,748

11,269,330

11,266,916

12,605,970

14,064,870

Total Student Enrollment

3,265

3,442

3,351

3,352

3,352

Levy Per Student

$3,156

$3,274

$3,362

$3,760

$4,195

LPS Increase From Prior Year

3.73%

2.68%

11.83%

11.57%

Consumer Price Index

172.4

178.0

179.9

183.7

186.7

CPI Increase From Prior Year

3.24%

1.06%

2.11%

1.63%

Sources: Annual Financial Reports and Budget dated August 12, 2003

Notes:

1. Estimated 2003 and 2004 Total Student Enrollment = (3,351+3,442+3,265) / (3) = 3,352

2. Average 2000-03 Consumer Price Index Increase = (183.7-172.4 / 172.4)(100) / (4) = 1.63%

3. Estimated 2004 Consumer Price Index = (183.7)(1.0163) = 186.7

 

Lebanon Community School Corporation

Calendar Year Receipts

(compiled August 31, 2003)

Receipt Accounts

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

General Fund

Local Sources

5,357,816

5,442,887

5,695,116

State Sources

11,050,274

11,690,122

11,615,493

Intermediate Sources

3,449

598

0

Sale of Prop., Adjust., Refunds

1,100,445

12,965

38,315

Transfers

130,039

0

0

SUBTOTAL General Fund

17,642,023

17,146,572

17,348,924

Debt Service Fund

Local Sources

3,983,425

4,513,260

3,918,531

State Sources

117,563

120,179

119,049

SUBTOTAL Debt Service Fund

4,100,988

4,633,439

4,037,580

Capital Projects Fund

Local Sources

1,861,587

1,983,088

2,287,226

Transfers

0

224

0

SUBTOTAL Capital Projects

1,861,587

1,983,312

2,287,226

School Transportation Fund

Local Sources

(34,049)

1,080,060

1,037,768

State Sources

76,987

76,498

73,355

Sale of Prop., Adjust., Refunds

1,584

1,652

635

Transfers

1,053,169

0

0

SUBTOTAL School Transport.

1,097,691

1,158,210

1,111,758

School Bus Replacement

Local Sources

0

216,988

195,235

Transfers

182,075

0

0

SUBTOTAL School Bus Repl.

182,075

216,988

195,235

Special Education Preschool

Local Sources

21,643

21,657

22,085

State Sources

65,761

90,363

74,745

SUBTOTAL Special Ed. Pre.

87,404

112,020

96,830

TOTALS

Local Sources

11,190,422

13,257,940

13,155,961

State Sources

11,310,585

11,977,162

11,882,642

Intermediate Sources

3,449

598

0

Sale of Prop., Adjust., Refunds

1,102,029

14,617

38,950

Transfers

1,365,283

224

0

TOTAL RECEIPTS

24,971,768

25,250,541

25,077,553

Total Student Enrollment

3,265

3,442

3,351

Receipts Per Student

$7,648

$7,336

$7,483

RPS Increase From Prior Year

(4.07%)

2.00%

Consumer Price Index

172.4

178.0

179.9

183.7

CPI Increase From Prior Year

3.24%

1.06%

2.11%

Sources:

A. 2000-2002 Actual Receipts and Total Student Enrollment: Annual Financial Reports

B. Consumer Price Index: http://www.finplaneducation.net/consumer_price_index.htm 

 

Lebanon Community School Corporation

Calendar Year Expenditures

(compiled August 31, 2003)

Expenditure Accounts

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

General Fund

Instruction / Regular Programs

7,664,065

8,204,502

8,512,945

8,926,595

9,761,303

Instruction / Special Programs

1,025,187

1,026,260

1,105,145

1,016,050

996,950

Instruction / Summer School

58,410

116,616

101,596

52,200

52,200

Remediation Programs

50,203

93,204

37,092

107,500

107,500

Support Services / Pupils

531,885

530,011

573,378

533,700

533,000

Support Services / Inst. Staff

288,988

282,048

261,874

300,815

291,835

Support Services / Gen. Admin.

341,278

410,792

437,078

434,400

462,650

Support Services / School Admin.

888,066

911,521

918,925

952,750

939,750

Support Services / Business

2,035,148

2,346,404

2,384,405

2,724,651

3,138,273

Support Services / Central

2,704,730

2,952,939

3,466,911

3,178,839

3,306,826

Adult / Continuing Ed. Programs

498

5,861

6,095

10,500

10,500

Nonprogrammed Charges

533,340

548,459

559,078

452,000

435,800

SUBTOTAL General Fund

16,121,798

17,428,617

18,364,522

18,690,000

20,036,587

Debt Service Fund

Debt Services

4,104,742

4,519,090

4,068,666

4,964,555

5,323,957

SUBTOTAL Debt Service Fund

4,104,742

4,519,090

4,068,666

4,964,555

5,323,957

Capital Projects Fund

Professional Services

24,000

Bldng Acquisition, Constr., Impr.

809,000

1,060,700

Sports Facility

40,000

105,250

Rental of Bldngs, Grounds, Equip.

512,550

530,000

Purchase of Mobile/Fixed Equip.

342,500

302,100

Emergency Allocation

65,000

65,000

Maintenance of Equipment

319,176

415,700

Transfer to General Fund

176,474

Support Services / Business

2,149,807

2,497,676

2,250,261

SUBTOTAL Capital Projects

2,149,807

2,497,676

2,250,261

2,264,700

2,502,750

School Transportation Fund

Support Services / Business

953,430

960,956

1,040,844

1,008,800

1,111,950

Support Services / Central

117,628

140,416

148,744

168,000

165,000

SUBTOTAL School Transport.

1,071,058

1,101,372

1,189,588

1,176,800

1,276,950

School Bus Replacement

Support Services / Business

157,425

213,710

210,656

240,000

291,000

SUBTOTAL School Bus Repl.

157,425

213,710

210,656

240,000

291,000

Special Education Preschool

Instruction / Special Programs

95,165

100,244

70,978

84,750

156,325

SUBTOTAL Special Ed. Pre.

95,165

100,244

70,978

84,750

156,325

TOTAL EXPENDITURES

23,699,995

25,860,709

26,154,671

27,420,805

29,587,569

Total Student Enrollment

3,265

3,442

3,351

3,352

3,352

Expenditures Per Student

$7,258

$7,513

$7,805

$8,180

$8,826

EPS Increase From Prior Year

3.51%

3.88%

4.80%

7.89%

Consumer Price Index

172.4

178.0

179.9

183.7

186.7

CPI Increase From Prior Year

3.24%

1.06%

2.11%

1.63%

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

Sources:

A. 2000-2002 Actual Expenditures and Total Student Enrollment: Annual Financial Reports

B. 2003 Budgeted Expenditures: Budget dated August 6, 2002

C. 2004 Budgeted Expenditures: Budget dated August 12, 2003

D. Consumer Price Index: http://www.finplaneducation.net/consumer_price_index.htm 

Notes:

1. Estimated 2003 and 2004 Total Student Enrollment = (3,351+3,442+3,265) / (3) = 3,352

2. Average 2000-03 Consumer Price Index Increase = (183.7-172.4 / 172.4)(100) / (4) = 1.63%

3. Estimated 2004 Consumer Price Index = (183.7)(1.0163) = 186.7

 

Lebanon Community School Corporation

Calendar Year Statement of Long-Term Indebtedness

(outstanding encumbrances* excluded)

(compiled August 31, 2003)

Principal Outstanding

Long-Term Indebtedness

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

Holding Company - Public & Private

31,967,442

30,042,442

28,032,442

Common School Loans

1,550,748

1,403,058

1,255,368

School Bonds

275,000

0

0

TOTAL INDEBTEDNESS

33,793,190

31,445,500

29,287,810

*encumbrances include purchase orders, vendor contracts, letters of commitment, leases

Sources: Annual Financial Reports

 

Lebanon Community School Corporation

Calendar Year Student Enrollment and Employment

(compiled August 31, 2003)

Enrollment By Grade

Grade

2000

2001

2002

Prekindergarten

14

11

0

Kindergarten

268

249

276

Grade 1

267

272

264

Grade 2

275

265

271

Grade 3

264

278

271

Grade 4

258

255

285

Grade 5

253

252

253

Grade 6

287

271

247

Grade 7

272

276

272

Grade 8

231

269

286

Grade 9

262

253

291

Grade 10

234

236

222

Grade 11

207

207

225

Grade 12

173

189

188

Post Graduates

0

159

0

TOTAL ENROLLMENT

3,265

3,442

3,351

Employment By Type

Type

2000

2001

2002

Certified Part-Time

4

3

5

Certified Full-Time

207

170

207

Noncertified Part-Time

15

33

45

Noncertified Full-Time

165

165

160

Administrative Staff

14

14

14

TOTAL EMPLOYMENT

405

385

431

Students Per Certified Full-Time Employee

15.77

20.24

16.18

Students Per Noncertified Employee

18.13

17.38

16.34

Students Per Administrative Staff

233.21

245.85

239.35

Sources: Annual Financial Reports

The mission statement for the Lebanon Community School Corporation is to "Create and nurture an environment that expects all students will learn." This mission statement is fine for the School Superintendent, but it is insufficient for the Lebanon School Board members. Because they are elected representatives, the School Board members cannot be just education advocates - they also have to be taxpayer advocates who determine what resources the community can reasonably provide to educate our children.

Watchdog Lebanon is not convinced the 2004 budget is reasonable. As published, there are exorbitant property tax levy and total expenditure increases.

The $14,064,870 property tax levy in the published 2004 budget is a whopping 11.75 percent increase from 2003. This comes after the published 2003 property tax levy increased an incredible 11.83 percent from the prior year.

The $29,587,569 expenditures total in the published 2004 budget is a 7.90 percent increase from 2003. This huge increase comes after a total expenditures per student increase from 2000 to 2003 that was 1.93 times more than inflation increased.

The School Superintendent states the double digit property tax levy increase published for 2004 is meant to be artificially high to somehow protect the school system from undesirable cuts that might come about from actions taken by the Department of Local Government Finance. However, the Superintendent did not have an answer when asked for the reduced 2004 property tax levy total that is a desirable outcome from the Department of Local Government Finance. One gets the impression the school system is poised to gratefully accept any exorbitant property tax levy increase approved by the Department of Local Government Finance after receiving certified assessed valuations. This exorbitant increase would be driven by the artificially high tax levy published for 2004.

The Lebanon School Board has a pretty good record of controlling total property tax levy increases the past couple of years. The average annual total property tax levy per student increase from 2000 to 2002 was 3.26 percent, which compares reasonably well to the average 2.17 percent inflation increase for the same time period. 

Watchdog Lebanon does not yet have the intimate knowledge of the Lebanon Schools budget necessary to make logical budget cut recommendations. Analysis of the 2004 budget is made more difficult by reassessment and the 30.85 percent increase in debt service payments since 2002. Even though the excessive published 2004 property tax levy increase is dismaying, Watchdog Indiana is putting its faith in the Lebanon School Board to do what is necessary limit the 2004 property tax levy increase to a reasonable amount.

The School Superintendent does agree the common practice of publishing artificially high budgets is misleading to the public and a crummy way of doing business. If he gets his assessed valuation data before August 1 next year, as is required by state law, the School Superintendent promises to recommend a real budget with no artificial increases. This will bring much needed transparency to the budget process.

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This page was last updated on 03/19/10 .