CHERRY TWP — Residents in the Moniteau School District will not see their property taxes increase in the upcoming school year.

The district’s school board passed the budget for the 2022-23 school year Monday. It has an operating cost of $24.4 million and expected revenues to match that cost. The 2021-22 budget had an operating cost of $22.6 million. The increase in the budget is balanced by the district’s fund balance.

The preliminary budget reviewed by the school board at a May meeting included a millage increase of 1.99 mills for property owners in the district, but district superintendent Aubrie Schnelle said administrators worked around some proposed costs.

“We had an unexpected retirement, which cut some cost,” she said during Monday’s meeting. “We removed a paving job that can wait that was going to cost a lot. We’re going to go with a used option for a truck we are going to buy.”

In expected revenues for the year, the budget estimates the district will receive about $5.4 million from current real estate taxes, which make up the majority of the estimated local revenue.

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