BOE presents tentative 2015 budget

It’s May. How do you know it’s May? Well, if you’re in the education profession you know it’s May because you’re talking about next year’s budget.

So said Board of Education member Helen Hughes at Tuesday’s meeting of the BOE.

Hughes, during the members’ comments portion, thanked Assistant Superintendent for finance and business operations Stephen Thublin, outgoing Superintendent Robins Hines and incoming Superintendent Mark Scott for their work on the tentative budget – shown for the first time at Monday’s work session at Quail Run Elementary School.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this,” she also said, “but thanks to our state government and legislature for giving education a kind of political clout this year to allow us to do what we need to do.”

The preliminary budget, which the group will likely vote on during its June meeting, includes $232,333,509 General Fund expenditures. That is an increase of $12,442,455 over 2014 expenditures.

It also includes, according to the BOE documentation: “35 additional teachers, state and local step increases for certified personnel, local step increases for classified personnel, an additional $1,000 added to the Certified Local Supplements, and the rollup of up to two steps on the local certified and classified pay scales to offset the salary freezes in fiscal years 2010 and 2011.”

It also, according to the BOE documentation, includes additional textbook purchases and equipment and vehicle replacements of $2,026,000.

HHJ News