ALLEN COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) – On Tuesday, the school board for Southwest Allen County Schools (SACS) held a public hearing for the 2025 budget, including capital projects plans and bus replacement plans. Officials say the public hearing was the second to final step in finalizing the 2025 budget. The budget is divided into four separate funds, the referendum fund, education fund, debt service fund and the operations fund. Officials say the biggest difference this year from last is the nearly $7 million increase in the debt service fund due to the district selling bonds to finish the Homestead High school project. The education fund is also set to increase by 6.42% from the 2024 budget. Mark Snyder, director of business for SACS, said a slight increase in that fund each year is perfectly normal because that is the money they pull to pay the salaries and benefits for their staff. Though the budget does show a slight increase overall from 2024, officials wanted to ensure that this won't cause a burden on local taxpayers. "We wanted to make sure that we could build a new high school without taking on any more additional tax rate. we had promised the community that we would stay under a certain tax rate that was established," Snyder said. Officials also discussed the bus replacement plan. Only four buses are set to be replaced in 2025. The 2025 budget, the bus replacement plan and the capital projects plan are set to be adopted at the next school board meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 22.