Budget gridlock puts MAP grant in jeopardy. See page 3. SPORTS
North rallies past East
EDUCATION Students recognized by National Merit Scholarship Program PAGE 5
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T HE ENTERPRISE Your Complete Source For Plainfield News Since 1887
Volume 128 No. 9
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revenues could outweigh costs for third year School District 202 expects revenues to exceed operating expenses by about $3 million By enTerPrIse sTaFF news@enterprisepublications.com @plainfieldnews
photo CourtEsy of andrEa sullivan
Colton crosses the finish line at the 2015 Chicago heart Walk sept. 26.
District 202 announced Tuesday that operating revenues should exceed operating expenses by about $3 million at the end of the fiscal year. That prediction, however, depends on the district’s 2015-16 operating budget holding true and the state meeting its funding obligations. At its Sept. 28 meeting, the District 202 Board of Education approved the 2015-16 budget, following a public hearing held earlier in the evening. “Our finances look good, if not spectacular, assuming that the state does what it is supposed to do,” said Superintendent of Schools Lane Abrell in a news release. If those expectations are meet, the 201516 budget would be the third straight year that District 202 has been able to keep operating expenses lower than operating revenues. “We have worked hard and sacrificed as a district, as taxpayers, families and employees to protect our community’s resources and still give our students a solid, comprehensive educational program and the support they need to achieve in and out of the classroom,” Abrell added. District officials expect $253.1 million in operating fund revenues, about $5.1 million more than the 2014-15 unaudited budget, which showed $248 million in revenues. The newly approved budget anticipates $250 million in operating expenses. That number is about $6.4 million, or about 2.6 percent, higher than the 2014-15 unaudited budget, which included about $243.6 million in expenses. District 202 said the new 2015-16 budget essentially maintains staffing, service and
sEE rEvEnuEs | page 4
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