School budget balanced

The Cherokee County School Board will see a balanced $58 million budget with no tax increase when it meets to formally approve the budget next month.

School trustees spent much of a two-hour meeting Tuesday reviewing a preliminary budget that totals $58,358,828.

Finance director Ben Childs said the district could balance the budget with revenues from a 4.4-mill state property tax reimbursement and by shifting some capital expenses to its debt service fund.

All teachers and classified employees will receive a staterequired pay raise for the upcoming school year.

Childs said state and local teacher supplements were increased at the same rate in the budget, meaning district employees will see a "true" 3.31 percent pay raise. This will cost $1.7 million in this year's budget.

The budget does not include a tax increase.

Current estimates show homeowners will actually see a savings on this year's school property taxes, Childs said. School operating taxes were eliminated from property tax bills under Act 388 passed by state lawmakers last year.

"We are working on a balanced budget that will maintain the same positions and programs as the 2006-2007 fiscal year," Childs said. "In addition with Act 388, the owner of a $100,000 home will see a savings of approximately $256 next year."

This year's school budget will require two readings for approval. The district has scheduled the first budget reading for June 12 and the second reading for June 26.

A pay increase for substitute teachers and continuing the district's computer lease program were the only new budget items presented to trustees at Tuesday's workshop.

Certified substitute teachers would be paid $159 per day under a proposal presented by superintendent Dr. Bill James. This figure is based on the daily rate for a teacher with a bachelor's degree.

Noncertified teachers would be paid $10 per hour. Under this scenario, James said a high school substitute teacher would make $80 per day.

"Our current pay for substitute teachers does not take into account that high schools get out later than elementary and middle schools. This proposal is also an attempt to recognize the benefit of having a certified teacher as a substitute in the classroom," James said. "We think this addresses both of these issues and will ultimately encourage more retired teachers to come back to substitute in our classrooms."

At a cost of $820,000, James said the district could continue its computer lease program by moving the expense to the debt service fund used for capital expenses. This would cost homeowners $4 from their projected savings on tax bills.

The district had left the computer lease program out of earlier budget drafts. The computer lease was brought back up at the request of school trustee Billy Blackwell.

"I feel strongly that we need to continue replacing computers in schools each year. I don't want to see us drop off a year and fall behind," Blackwell said. "We need to make sure our schools stay current with technology."