The Washington Community School Board met in regular session Wednesday evening. Photo by Sally Y. Hart

The Fiscal Year 17 budget for Washington Community Schools was approved unanimously by the school board at their meeting Wednesday evening. The approved tax rate is $15.85, about a $1.20 increase. Superintendent Jeff Dicks explained this tax rate is an increase over last year, but below the high rate of about $17 seen five years ago. He said the low state supplemental aid from the legislature attributed to this. Also, business manager Jeff Dieleman explained about 80-cents of the tax rate is for the approved auditorium and early learning center projects.