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School board approves $156 million budget

Health insurance increase, indigent defense law cited as factors

By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@TheCitizenNews.com

With little fanfare and no public comment, the Fayette County Board of Education Monday night approved a $156 million general fund budget.

The total budget for all funds including capital, nutrition and other funds is right at $200 million, said comptroller Jim Stephens.

Superintendent of Education John DeCotis praised the staff for this year’s budget process.

“They were able to do an austere budget with no millage rate increase this year. We’re also hoping that the bond millage rate will go down slightly this year,” he said.

The 2005 general fund budget is estimated at $156.668 million, which is just over a four percent increase from last year’s budget, Stephens said.

Earlier this year, the system was looking at gloom-and-doom predictions of a $4 million deficit and a increased millage rate.

But in earlier budget meetings Stephens said two main factors contributed to the upbeat projections. First, the state found more than $200 million to put back in the education budget.

The second factor is the rate of growth in Fayette County. “There’s a lot of building going on right now in the county, so we’ve upped our digest projections,” he said.

The county is also doing reassessments on property, which will add additional revenue to the system.

Included in this budget will be raises for teachers and 12-month personnel, including:

• A two percent state-mandated teacher pay raise in 2005.

• A three percent step increase for teachers in 2005.

• A two percent increase for 12-month employees this July.

• A three percent increase for 12 month employees in 2005.

The total for all the pay raises is just over $4 million.

Nearly 70 percent, or $108 million, of the 2005 budget goes toward instruction costs.

The budget also includes 40 new employees.