Waterloo School Board Concludes Budget Task Force

No room found to reduce tax levy approved in December

Mar. 11, 2026 at 6:07pm

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The budget task force of the Waterloo School Board conducted its final meeting on March 4, ultimately agreeing there was no space within the coming school year's budget to abate the tax levy approved in December. The $26.4 million levy represented a 9.02% increase from the previous year, drawing some public criticism, which led the board to create the task force to evaluate potential reductions.

Why it matters

The task force's findings highlight the challenges school districts face in balancing budgets and tax levies, especially with uncertainties around future costs and funding. The Waterloo district's large education fund deficit and reliance on its working cash fund reserves raise concerns about the district's long-term financial sustainability.

The details

The task force, proposed by board member Nathan Mifflin, conducted four meetings over several weeks, reviewing the district's budget in detail. While they discussed potential savings in areas like maintenance and technology, the group ultimately concluded the district was levying the amount of tax funds it requires. Superintendent Brian Charron noted the difficulty in formulating the levy request before finalizing the full budget, given uncertainties around factors like building repairs and union contracts.

  • The budget task force conducted its final meeting on March 4, 2026.
  • The Waterloo School Board approved the $26.4 million tax levy, a 9.02% increase, in December 2025.

The players

Nathan Mifflin

A member of the Waterloo School Board who proposed the creation of the budget task force.

John Caupert

A member of the Waterloo School Board who argued against the need for the budget task force.

Jodi Burton

A member of the Waterloo School Board who argued against the need for the budget task force.

Brian Charron

The Superintendent of Schools for the Waterloo School District.

Russ Thomas

A former Waterloo alderman who served on the budget task force.

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What they’re saying

“I would say it sounds to me like we're not going to be able to abate the levy. What we asked for is what we need.”

— Nathan Mifflin, School Board Member

“The budget process itself by the people who put it in place shows no extraneous anything to me. It seems like it's done in a good, fine way with checks and balances.”

— Russ Thomas, Former Waterloo Alderman

“You're currently overspending the Ed. fund by $2.2 million. If you don't decrease expenditures in the Ed. fund next year and/or increase revenue, then instead of transferring $750,000 from working cash this year, you're talking about $2.2 million that you're having to transfer, so that working cash fund is gonna disappear in two years, and then you're gonna have nowhere to get the money if you're still overspending in the Ed. fund.”

— Brian Charron, Superintendent of Schools

What’s next

The task force concluded without finding space for any levy abatement, but indicated the group or a similar one could meet again in the future to further evaluate the district's budget.

The takeaway

The Waterloo School Board's budget task force process highlights the complex financial challenges facing school districts, from balancing tax levies with uncertain future costs to managing deficits in key funds like the education fund. While no immediate levy reductions were identified, the thorough review helped build public confidence in the district's budget management.