No

tax increases are anticipated to cover this

year's budget for Fayette County schools, but it

is too soon to tell if taxes will be reduced.

In

a 4-1 vote, the Fayette County Board of Education

gave tentative approval to a $124.1 million

budget for fiscal 2001, which includes a unified

salary scale for school employees.

This

reflects a 6.7 percent increase over last year's

budget.

The

single opposing vote was cast by Woody Shelnutt,

who claimed he did not have enough time to review

the inch-thick financial plan. He also opposed

the unified salary scale proposal, saying it is

"not in the best interest of the

taxpayers."

Board

Chairman Debbie Condon said the proposal was a

"good idea." "It's a concerted

effort to give employees a clear understanding of

how we pay them... it is in the best interest of

the taxpayers and the employees," she said.

Implementation

of the plan will cost $630,000 more than the old

plan and includes a 3 percent pay raise for

classified employees.

Dr.

John DeCotis, school superintendent, gave an

overview of the budget noting that House Bill

1187, or the Governor's Education Reform Plan,

"has not had a serious impact yet," but

did affect some personnel, and how money was

categorized. The biggest loss will be the

$500,000 annually received from the state

Equalization Grant, he noted.

The

budget funds 37 new teaching positions ($2

million), 19 nursing positions ($268,000)

classroom additions at Fayette, Booth and

Whitewater middle schools ($1.5 million local and

$4 million from the state) and a bus lease

program ($1.25 million).

Final

approval of the budget is scheduled for Monday,

June 26.

<!--

-----------