The 2025-26 Fredonia School Budget carries a total amount of $38,336,005. That figure is an increase of 5.23% from the previous budget, but carries a tax increase of 2.59% to district voters.

The 2.59% increase includes the previously approved 1.9% increase stemming from Proposition 1 of the Capital Project proposal that was voted on last December. The additional tax increase on top of that already approved amount is 0.69%.

“In the end, we want to ensure that all students have access to a strong academic program and the wide variety of experiences we offer for our students, adults, and families, while being mindful of the cost to our community taxpayers,” Superintendent Dr. Brad Zilliox said. “There is a balance we attempt to strike here where all students are in a position to be successful and have their needs met while not overburdening our families with a levy increase they cannot manage.”

The Board of Education adopted the budget at a special meeting on April 24 following several rounds of cuts to the initial budget. Even after a presentation from Business Administrator John Forbes, who cautioned the district against further trimming the budget, the Board directed Forbes to reduce the rate increase to 2.59% from its proposed figure of 2.99% entering the meeting.

Mary Deas, a retired Fredonia teacher, addressed the Board of Education twice at its most recent meeting to voice her criticism of the proposed budget.

Forbes said of this year’s proposed budget, “Within the last 10 years, this was by far the most difficult.”

The tax levy limit for Fredonia this year was 4.65%, which amounts to an increase of $797,950 that could have been raised. Instead, the 2.59% increase amounts to $444,449. The district is also receiving an increase of $1,489,611 in state aid this upcoming year, bringing the amount of the budget funded by state aid over 50%.

While the tax levy has gone up in actual dollars, the percent of the budget it represents has dropped in each of the past five years. This year’s proposed budget shows a tax levy of 45.92% of the overall budget, down from 47.1% the year prior, and 48.69% in 2023-2024. The tax levy was over 51% of the total budget in 2021-22 and 2022-23, and was also nearly 2% more than the portion of state aid in 2023-24, as well.

In 2021-22 and 2022-23, the Fredonia School Budget increased just over 2% each year due to rising costs and salaries. Last year, that figure jumped to 8.52%. The increase this year is still more than 5% higher than last year’s amount even after the 8.52% jump.

However, the district has consistently asked for less than it could have to combat those increases. Including this upcoming year’s proposed budget, the five-year average tax levy increase to district taxpayers is 1.71%, and the 10-year average increase is 1.33%. In comparison, the tax levy limit over the past five years averages to be a 2.40% tax increase, and over 10 years, the average increase could have been a 2.29% increase. The proposed budget is only the second time in over a decade that the district has sought a tax levy increase over 2%.

“The Board has done a good job in taking into account the taxpayers and the situation in the community to try to keep it as low as possible,” Forbes said.

Forbes said that in his position, he would always urge districts to propose the maximum allowed under the tax cap calculation because it provides for extra funds to be used as needed, such as maintenance needs — of which Fredonia had over $50 million — or substantial building projects, such as an athletic complex or music department renovations. Instead, the district made an effort to ease the burden on taxpayers, many of which will be feeling the brunt of a 65% tax increase in the village of Fredonia this upcoming year.

After a short recess at the April 24 meeting, Forbes delivered on the ask from the Board by cutting an additional $68,341 from the equipment line in the budget. The reduction brought the equipment amount slightly below the previous budget’s figure, now set at $136,012.

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The equipment cuts made a small impact, but any major cuts to the budget would likely need to come from the staffing levels. Salaries and benefits amount to 70.1% of the overall budget, with $19,239,949 allocated to salaries – more than 50% of the budget itself.

Mary Deas, a retired Fredonia teacher, has consistently reiterated her belief that the district needs to make substantial cuts. “I will vote no on the budget and encourage others to do the same,” Deas said.

One of the focal points of her ongoing criticism of the Board of Education and the district is that despite enrollment not being what it was several decades ago, the district is still staffing at such a high rate.

Deas urged the district to not replace retiring teachers, stating, “Enrollment doesn’t warrant it.” The district has six positions opening this year due to retirements, including five teachers and High School Principal Darrin Paschke, who is set to be replaced by Ron Tonelli. The six replacements for the outgoing staff members are budgeted at just over $400,000.

Zilliox explained the decision to support the positions it has in its budget. “Through our long-term planning, we have identified the following as focus areas: Literacy, curriculum review, academic and behavioral interventions, social-emotional learning through Leader in Me, and planning for upgraded facilities. We want our budget to align with these priorities and support meaningful work in these areas moving forward.”

Entering the April 24 meeting before adoption of the budget, the district did not plan to reduce staff by removing positions. As Board discussion continued throughout the evening, the topic of eliminating positions was raised. After further discussion, the district did not feel comfortable committing to a spur-of-the-moment cut without further evaluation to determine if a staffing cut would need to be made, and if so, which position would be most feasible to cut. Instead, the equipment budget line was reduced.

“There was a decision made during the meeting to lower the tax percentage from 2.99% to 2.59%. We were processing in real time, where would that money come from? We recognized that in that meeting … we didn’t want to make a decision about staffing,” Zilliox stated.

In response, Deas used the word “embarrassing” to characterize the district’s inaction regarding staffing cuts without further evaluation. She acknowledged at a more recent meeting that she is “viewed as an adversary” by members of the district she worked for until her retirement last June.

Zilliox later responded to the characterization of “embarrassing” during the superintendent’s report of a previous meeting.

“I’m proud of our district. I’m proud of our faculty and staff. I’m proud of our administration. I’m proud of our Board of Education. To think that we would be embarrassed about the work that we’re doing, I can’t feel good about that comment,” Zilliox said. “I feel like we’re all working hard and we’re all trying to do the right things for students.”

Zilliox highlighted a comment Deas made when addressing in the past that emphasized the importance of teachers in the classroom. Zilliox stated, “In my mind, we’re fighting to keep that strong instructional program that we have, and we’re trying to do it without taking away those people who make a difference every day in the classroom, in the trenches, in the daily grind, doing great things for students.”

Deas spoke for more than five minutes at the budget hearing, then after exhausting her time to speak, she sat back down in the front row of the audience and waited nearly an hour for the open public comment portion at the end of the regular meeting to continue to address the Board. She concluded her second round of comments by stating, “As usual, there may be low turnout for the budget vote, which is probably what you count on, but don’t take it passing as a sign of approval. Time will tell. Start thinking of the future beyond next year. … The answer can’t be to continue to punish and demand more and more money from the fewer residents who try to hold on.”

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High School Principal Darrin Paschke, a Fredonia resident and graduate, will serve as Chairman of the Election and Budget Vote. Marcia Merrins is Chief Election Inspector/Poll Site Coordinator, with Rebecca Huber Ross serving as Assistant Poll Site Coordinator. District Clerk Kate Hinds Morrison is authorized to give written notice of such appointments.

To vote in the election and on the budget, voters must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years of age on the day of the vote, and have legal residency in the district of 30 days or more on the day of the vote.

Kevin Martin is the lone candidate listed on the ballot for a five-year term on the Fredonia Board of Education. The open seat is in place of Brian Aldrich, the former Board President who has been openly critical of the increases proposed in the past year through both the Capital Project and the budget itself.

Absentee ballots will be mailed to all permanently disabled residents who are currently on the Board of Elections’ list.

Applications are also available at the office of the District Clerk. Applications must be received by May 13 if the absentee ballot is to be mailed to the applicant, or by May 19 if the applicant receives the absentee ballot in person at the District Office.

All absentee ballots must be received by the District Clerk in the District Office by 5 p.m. May 20. Any ballots received after that time will not be counted. Completed applications for military ballots must have been received by the District Clerk by April 24.