Friday, July 6,
2001
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School Board offers full tax rollback to property owners By Richard
Dollinger On June 14, the Fulton County Board of Education gave final approval to the fiscal year 2001-2002 budget. With the vote, the board also approved a millage rollback of 1.13 mills in order to offset increased property reassessments. This is the second consecutive year of full millage rollbacks and the fourth reduction in ten years. As a result of the cuts, the tax paid on a $100,000 home has decreased from $959 in 1990 to approximately $724 in 2001-2002. The Fulton County Board of Education and school system staff made the tough decisions necessary to balance the FY2002 budget and roll back the millage. Due to tax reassessments, the school system could have gained an additional $21 million from the current millage rate. However, the school board continued its tradition of financial accountability and asked staff to present a revenue-neutral budget and make the necessary cuts to accommodate this decision. Despite increased revenues of approximately $20 million, the system had to significantly cut the budget to accommodate increased expenditures, including • $16 million to handle student enrollment growth; • $25.5 million to give a pay raise to all employees; • $2.4 million for inflation; • $2.7 million for two new charter schools. With our challenges, we were pleased that we still were able to include some improvement items. We increased funding for our ESOL and at-risk programs by $1.5 million, provided for additional psychologists, and expanded peer diversity and cultural awareness programs. To help with recruiting and retention efforts, the amount of credit given for outside teaching experience increased and improvements will be made in the teacher induction and alternative certification programs. In an effort to involve more students in extracurricular activities, coaching stipends were approved for lacrosse, along with funds for high school intramurals and middle school extramurals. To offset these increased expenditures, the board reduced or cut funding for some items, and delayed major purchases. For example: • Summer school class size increases and support staff decreases. • Classroom sets of textbooks for some subjects will be used rather than issuing textbooks to individual students in 2001-02. • Early purchase of science, health and physical education, and drug-free schools textbooks and instructional materials needed for 2002-03 will be delayed. • Funding is reduced for security cameras and facility maintenance, including minor remodeling, paving, erosion control projects, walkway installation, tree services, stadium light repairs, playscape improvements and fencing. • Software updates and purchase of new computer software licenses are delayed. To present a revenue-neutral budget, the school board also chose to delay major purchases of new technology, buses, textbooks and equipment that could be included in a special local option sales tax referendum. If a one-cent tax option is called for and approved by voters, these capital improvements can be removed from the operating budget for five years. While this year's budget process is over, we must begin now to think ahead to 2002-2003. Our challenges will continue. Annual growth in enrollment and class-size reductions under the A+ Education Reform Act are expected to increase school budgets by as much as $68 million in FY2003 and $95 million in FY2004. The system's Local Fair Share the amount of money paid to other school systems increased $11 million this year and is expected to increase an additional $13 million in FY2003, while tax revenue growth for the school system is expected to be approximately $19 million. I would like to thank all citizens and staff who took the time to be involved in the budget process this year by attending the numerous workshops and public hearings. Be assured that the board and administration did listen to and use your input in making final decisions. I ask that you continue to work with us as we begin to plan for next year's budget. The FY 2003 budget development calendar will be posted on the system Web site in late fall. For information on budget process, please call the Community Relations Department at 404-763-6830, or visit the Web site at www.fulton.k12.ga.us.
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