Board passes budget for 2007

Published 11:31 pm Tuesday, June 6, 2006

The Whitfield County Board of Education gave final approval on Tuesday to the school system’s fiscal year 2007 general fund budget with no property tax increase. The approximately $99 million budget represents a 10 percent increase in spending over the current year.

The fiscal year starts July 1.

“We’ve never before approved a budget this early. It’s very good to be in this position,” board chairman Chuck Oliver said. “This is a testament to (comptroller) Kenny Sheppard’s team and Dr. (Katie) Brochu’s leadership.”

Anticipated general fund revenues from local, state and federal sources are expected to total approximately $95 million, leaving a budget deficit of almost $4 million. The system plans to use a portion of the general fund’s accumulated balance, anticipated to be about $7 million, to balance the budget.

The local cost of a state-mandated 4 percent raise for employees and 28 additional teachers and parapros needed to meet new class-size mandates are expected to cost the system an additional $4 million. Increases in board-paid health insurance premiums add another $970,000.

Startup costs associated with two new schools, in addition to the costs of salary and benefits for 18 non-teaching positions at those schools, account for an additional $1.7 million of the increase in the general fund for 2007.

The purchase of 20 new buses administrators say will get the system back on track to earn state transportation funds, and improvements in district-level data and financial systems, account for another $1.8 million.

Including $7.2 million in federally restricted “special revenue” funds and $4.9 million in long-term debt service, the 2007 overall budget totals almost $134 million. With revenues of approximately $118 million, the budget deficit totals more than $15.7 million, reducing a projected beginning overall fund balance of about $27.8 million to $12.1 million.

While the budget will be funded without a property tax increase, county residents are likely to be asked to go to the polls this fall to vote on the county’s third educational SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax), which would fund new school construction.