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Roller coaster: Now schools see surplusTue, 09/22/2009 - 3:52pm
By: Ben Nelms
Big question mark: How big will state cuts be in FY 2010? Just days after creating five committees to figure out what else to cut from the Fayette County School System’s recession-battered budget, the Board of Education now is being told the system is looking at a possible $6.3 million surplus for the coming year. That report Monday night showed current projections of a modest surplus by next June 30, but that will hold true only if expected state funding cuts somehow come to an end. Comptroller Laura Brock said the projected surplus comes from the $4.68 million preliminary balance for fiscal year 2008-2009 and $1.62 million in projected surplus funds for the current school year that began July 1. But Brock’s projections also included a big “if.” The surplus could well be in place by June 30, 2010, if the state does not impose additional funding cuts this year. In reality, Brock and nearly everyone else expects additional cuts to be forthcoming since the Ga. Department of Education began prepping school systems for that eventuality over the summer. The question is, how big will the cuts be? Brock at the Monday school board meeting also gave a report on current 1-cent sales tax revenues. Receipts for May through August totaled $5,178,450. Expenditures thus far total $558,708 for a computer lease payment, textbook purchases and 21st Century Classroom technology upgrades. The 1-cent sales tax was approved by voters last November. The tax was implemented in April and collections began in May of this year. Despite budget struggles, schools to end year in the black State funding cuts notwithstanding, the Fayette County School System could end the 2009 fiscal year June 30 under budget as much as $4.7 million. That figure includes numerous system cost-cutting measures implemented over the 2008-2009 school year. In a report to board members Monday night, Comptroller Laura Brock said preliminary figures showed the school system for the 2008-2009 year had revenues of $189.73 million and expenditures of $186.72 million, a difference of just over $3 million. Brock said the $1.68 million fund balance from the beginning of the year brought the year end total to $4.685 million. Brock said some adjustments are likely forthcoming, adding that the ending figures should still show the school system between $4.4 million to $4.5 million under budget. Brock said last year’s projected property tax revenues of $90.5 million came in over budget by $693,932. The situation with auto tags was different, she said. The budget projection of $7.2 million fell short by $577,000, or $6.63 million. The total for all local revenue sources showed a decrease of $955,000 under the revenue projection. But it was the state funding cuts that hit the hardest. The school system budgeted $94.9 million in QBE (Quality Basic Education) funding but received $84.9 million instead, a full $10 million less than expected. Portions of the past two schools years have been a study in budget cuts. While some affecting various staff positions were controversial and others were simply a matter of course, board members approved millions in cuts that affected nearly every aspect of school system operations. login to post comments
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