20-9-308. BASE budgets and maximum general fund budgets. - Montana Statutes

     20-9-308. BASE budgets and maximum general fund budgets. (1) (a) The trustees of a district shall adopt a general fund budget that is at least equal to the BASE budget established for the district. The trustees of a district may adopt a general fund budget up to the maximum general fund budget or the previous year's general fund budget, whichever is greater.
     (b) For purposes of the budget limitation in subsection (1)(a), the trustees may add any increase in state funding for the general fund payments in 20-9-327 through 20-9-330 to the district's previous year's general fund budget.
     (2) Whenever the trustees of a district propose to adopt a general fund budget that exceeds the BASE budget for the district and to increase the over-BASE budget levy to support the general fund budget, the trustees shall submit a proposition to the electors of the district, as provided in 20-9-353.
     (3) The BASE budget for the district must be financed by the following sources of revenue:
     (a) state equalization aid, as provided in 20-9-343, including any guaranteed tax base aid for which the district may be eligible, as provided in 20-9-366 through 20-9-369;
     (b) county equalization aid, as provided in 20-9-331 and 20-9-333;
     (c) a district levy for support of a school not approved as an isolated school under the provisions of 20-9-302;
     (d) payments in support of special education programs under the provisions of 20-9-321;
     (e) nonlevy revenue, as provided in 20-9-141; and
     (f) a BASE budget levy on the taxable value of all property within the district.
     (4) The over-BASE budget amount of a district must be financed by a levy on the taxable value of all property within the district or other revenue available to the district, as provided in 20-9-141.

     History: En. Sec. 3, Ch. 633, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 38, Sp. L. November 1993; amd. Secs. 6, 10(2), Ch. 514, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 146, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 15, Ch. 237, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 190, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 12, Ch. 462, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 173, L. 2007.