By Tom Tolen / news@whmi.com

The Brighton Board of Education has adopted the largest budget in the school district’s history — $112.3 million. The amended 2022-23 spending plan was approved at a recent board meeting.

As the first-ever budget of over $100 million, it is up significantly from the original amount of $99.6 million, approved last June.

Why the large increase? Assistant Superintendent of Business and Finance Mike Engelter tells WHMI that, in his words, "Both revenue and expenditures increased significantly since the original budget was adopted. The majority of these increases were based on pass-through retirement funds and one-time grant dollars coming from the state; both of which increase revenue and expenditures in offsetting amounts of approximately $8 million.

"Revenues were further increased," Engelter said, "due to increased pupil enrollment and higher interest earnings. Expenditures additionally went up due to inflationary pressures, contract settlements, and increased staffing."

Engelter says that since a portion of the revenue increases were one-time only in the form of grants and so forth, he expects the overall budget "to be smaller next year, based on the one-time dollars phasing out."

Engelter says further that the major increase in spending this year will have an effect on the fund balance. Although he expects the fund equity to increase over last year, he predicts that it will be by a smaller amount than originally anticipated, or $14.2 million vs. the initially projected $16.2 million.

The next board meeting will be a workshop session on Thur., April 27th, at 7 p.m.