Budget discussions at the Fayette County Board of Education meeting Tuesday night will pick up where they left off at the last meeting. Now projecting a $16.27 million surplus by the end of the June 30 fiscal year, the board will continue looking at a variety of proposed measures to offset what is expected to be a $14.953 million decrease in the budget that takes effect July 1.
Figures provided by Comptroller Laura Brock show total revenues estimated at $172.1 million, down from $187 million last July 1. Included in the decreased revenues are property taxes expected to drop by $2.5 million to $82.038 million, state dollars expected to drop by nearly $11.8 million to $82.111 million and auto tags declining $171,384 to $6.445 million.
As with the budget discussions from previous meetings, virtually no cost saving measure is off the table. Prior to the budget adoption in late June, the board will consider adjustments to departmental and non-departmental budgets, adjusting some school and central office personnel by means such as attrition or reclassification, limiting high school mileage for sports and athletic competition and charging an activity fee.
Other measures on the table include adjusting the school year by four days, decreasing the amount paid by the school system for benefits, decreasing or eliminating some supplements, combining middle and high school bus routes and charging tuition for the children of employees who live out of county.
