School budget exceeds $40M for first time
Creeping past $40 million for the first time, Warren County Schools’ 2004-2005 budget was reviewed by the Warren County Commission’s Education Committee Thursday night.
The committee approved the largest portion of the budget, the General Purpose Fund. Passing the smaller Federal Projects and Central Cafeteria Funds seems a mere formality.
“I think the school board presented a very responsible and very reasonable budget. The budget responds to their needs and shows due concern for taxpayers,” said Education Committee chairman Bill Zechman.
Totaling just under $35 million, the General Purpose Fund covers the vast majority of the school system’s operations. Close to half of this fund goes toward the regular instruction program, which finances the system’s single biggest expenditure, at $11.4 million, regular instruction teacher salaries. This category saw an increase of nearly half a million dollars over last year, which includes a $200 indexed raise from the state.
While several of the budget’s categories, including that of textbook purchasing, saw decreases, most saw modest increases. State retirement and medical insurance saw significant increases, as did money budgeted for natural gas and electricity.
Money allocated for school board and committee members was increased by $7,600. This would bring the total amount paid to each of the six board members from $3,500 a year to $4,766 a year. County commissioners, by comparison, are paid a base salary of $3,180 a year, plus $15 for every committee meeting attended and $30 for each specially called commission meeting.
Of the $40.4 million total budget, just over 25 percent, or $11.5 million, is locally funded. In years past, this money came almost equally from property taxes and the local option sales tax. However, with the recent voter approval of an increase of the local option sales tax, half of which must go to education by state law, this category now provides a much larger share.
Under next year’s budget, the local option sales tax will provide $7.2 million, while property taxes will provide $3.6 million. Smaller taxes make up the rest. The lion’s share of Warren County Schools’ budget is funded by state and federal governments.
Though approved by the Education Committee, the school system’s budget must still meet with the approval of the Budget and Finance Committee, as well as the full county commission.
Where money goes in the General Purpose Budget:
• Regular instruction teachers’ salaries: $11.4 million
• Special education program: $2.5 million
• Vocational education program: $1.4 million
• Plant operations (natural gas, electricity, etc.): $2.8 million
• Transportation: $1.8M