New budget proposal $7.5 million more than this year, will add 64 new teaching slots
The FY 2017 budget for the Fayette County School System is still a work in progress. Now poised tentatively at $191.5 million with 64 new positions, one board member is calling for a budget that accounts for a 1-mill reduction to property owners.
The 2017 preliminary budget in late March was placed at $190.5 million, up from the current $184 million.
School board members at the May 2 meeting discussed the idea of having the FY 2017 budget at $191.5 million and include the addition of nearly 64 new classroom positions.
While budget talks will continue until adopted in late June, Chairman Marion Key during the discussion said she is “looking at a mill reduction” to accompany the budget. As is customary, the school board will adopt the millage rate in late summer once tax digest figures are in. The current rate is at the state-allowed maximum of 20 mills and has been for many years.
Part of the budget discussion, and a factor that Assistant Superintendent for Finance Tom Gray said is still a moving target, dealt with the anticipated growth of the tax digest and, consequently, the amount of property tax revenue the school system will receive.
The school board will soon consider the inclusion of another dozen positions for next school year. Most of those would not be classroom positions.
Gray noted that the preliminary budget includes a 3 percent cost-of-living increase along with salary step increases for school system employees.
The new budget becomes effective on July 1.
In all, approximately 89 percent of the school system’s budget is in personnel costs.
