Friday, April 19, 2002
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Friday, April 19, 2002 |
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School budget talks begin By JOHN
THOMPSON
The Fulton County School Board began the huge task this week of trying to create a general fund budget for next year. School system business services director Harold Grindle said last year's budget was $559 million, but preliminary revenue estimates for this year are $575 million. Grindle said a big increase comes from reassessments in the county, and board officials are trying to determine if they will roll back the millage rate to compensate for the increase in property vale this year. "We have done a rollback the last two years," he explained. But state funding and sales tax funding is expected to be less this year, so officials are trying to juggle needs with revenue expectations. While the final revenue figures won't be available until later this month, Grindle said the board is looking at several spending options for this year. If the board agrees to the step increase in salary due its employees, along with the state's recommended 3.25 percent raise for teachers, it could cost the system $22 million. The system is also bound to decrease class size under Gov. Barnes' education reform plan in 2004. If the system starts decreasing the class size this year, it could cost up to $8 million, he added. The system will have a public meeting on the budget at the administrative complex on Cleveland Avenue at 7 p.m. Monday. The board will discuss the budget in another workshop May 2, and is expected to give final approval to the budget in June.
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