With a referendum on its local option budget looming, Hays USD 489 has offered a bevy of information on the issue.

And, at this week’s USD 489 Board of Education meeting, members voted unanimously voted to make reduction of kindergarten through sixth-grade classes the top priority.

Superintendent Dean Katt has scheduled a series of public discussions to offer the district’s take on the need for the 1 percent increase in the LOB, which is expected to generate approximately $200,000. Without the increase, taxes levied via the LOB actually will decrease as a result of recent legislative statewide school funding compromise.

Katt’s first informational session is at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Hays High School, and he will meet with Hays Sunrise Rotary at 7 a.m. Thursday on the campus of Fort Hays State University.

The board is facing an approximate $1.2 million budget shortfall for the 2014-15 school year, a figure that was reduced from $1.3 million Monday after the district discovered the cost of health benefits would be lower than expected.

Ballots must be returned by noon June 27 in the LOB referendum.

Click HERE to view the information compiled by USD 489 in preparation for the LOB issue.