The Moniteau School District school board voted 6-2 on Monday to preliminarily approve for a $24.5 million budget, which will increase taxes by 1.99 mills for property owners in the district.

According to district superintendent Aubrie Schnelle, inflation is the primary reason that the 2022-23 budget is up by $2 million compared to the 2021-22 budget.

Increased revenue, particularly an increase in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER), balances the proposed budget.

Schnelle said the district’s federal funding, about $1.6 million, is mainly sourced from American Rescue Plan funds, which included about $1.3 million in total coming from the ESSER.

“The expense of absolutely everything is going up from paper to regular field costs,” Schnelle said.

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