The largest budget in the history of the Fayette County School System got a unanimous “thumbs up” Monday night.

Fayette property owners will pay more school taxes this year as a result.

The School Board approved a $179.5 million general fund budget that Comptroller Lee Davis said would offer a small millage rate rollback for taxpayers.

However, the board will not be able to roll back the full amount of reassessments, so three public hearings will have to be held after Davis receives the final tax digest from Tax Commissioner George Wingo.

Rising assessments of residential and commercial properties means that a taxpayer would pay more money even if the tax rate remained the same as last year’s.

In this case, a partial rollback means an increase in everyone’s school tax bills this year.

“It speaks very highly of this system since many school systems are cutting back or furloughing people,” Davis said.

More than 50 percent of the budget, or just over $89 million will be paid with property taxes.

“It used to be the state funded 60 percent of the budget, but that portion continues to decrease,” he said.

The budget features 68.65 percent of the money going towards instruction, which exceeds the state’s recently mandated 65 percent. More than 50 new teachers were hired this year, but the majority are for Whitewater High School, which adds its final grade this fall.

Certified employees will receive the state 4 percent cost of living increase, along with any step increase in salary that is due to years of service. Employees paid on the unified schedule get the 4 percent cost of living raise, but not a longevity increase this year.

“We just didn’t think we could afford it,” Davis said.

One of the biggest increases the system faced this year was utility increases. The budget for motor fuel jumped from $513,000 to $713,000, while the natural gas budget increased $400,000 and electricity increased $250,000.

“That’s almost a million dollars in increases,” added Davis.

Superintendent of Education John DeCotis complimented the staff’s work on the budget and said the budget features no major reductions in personnel or programs, but hopes more help will eventually coming from the state.

“They’re pushing a lot of funding for mandated programs on the local system,” DeCotis said.