Residents in can breathe a little easier about their property tax bills

this year.

The Coweta County Board of Education approved a tentative 2005 budget

of $127 million Tuesday night that should not require a millage rate

hike.

"We really won't know until we get the tax digest information

later this year, but the board is on record of not seeking a rate hike," said

school system public information officer Dean Jackson.

The total budget is just under $181 million, and includes all funds

such as bonded indebtedness and capital projects. The final budget approval

is expected to occur at 8 a.m. June 24 at the school system office on

Jackson Street.

This year's budget was balanced after the school board decided

to use $3.7 million in reserve funds. But the vote was not unanimous

as members Alan Payton and Brian Roy opposed using the reserves.

Last year, the board allocated using $5.5 million in reserves to balance

the budget, but didn't use all the funds, Jackson said.

"Hopefully, we can do that again this year.

For the last two years, the school system has felt a financial crunch

from the state. With fewer funds available for education, the school

system was more reliant on local funds, which come largely from property

owners in Coweta County.