Proposed County budget up for vote June 5
The Anderson County Budget Committee will have a public hearing for the county’s upcoming budget on Thursday June 5.
It will be from 4 until 5 p.m. in Room 312 of the Anderson County Courthouse in Clinton. The proposed budget will be $77,776,647 with an estimated deficit of $358,555. It will be a no tax increase budget for the fifth year in a row, Anderson County Finance Director Robert Holbrook told Anderson County Commission May 19. However, since the county is reappraising property values this year, some people’s taxes may increase if their property ends up reappraised to have higher value.
The proposed spending is lower than the original budget for this year which was $78,367,570 or as amended $80,540,784. Budget cuts amounted to $2,015,000 or almost 3%, much of it related to issues with state funding for the school system.
There would, if it passes be a 3% pay raise for all certified staff and a .60 per hour raise for all classified staff in the county government.
Documents attached to that May 19 meeting agenda give additional details.
School effects
The report explains that the loss of 152 students required cuts to the budget. The state also passed a requirement for teacher starting pay with an 85 degree be at $50,000. Teachers are getting a 3% pay raise in the proposed budget, like the other certified staff.
Tim Parrott earlier told the Courier News the lower funding based on student population is due to a state policy, which gives out $7,646 per student. He said while the state is overall increasing its budget for schools, which offsets this lack of funding somewhat, the increase in what the school system is paying for teacher salary balances that out.
The school system will, under the proposed budget drop nine teachers, including two at Anderson County High School and Clinton High School each and one at Norris Middle School, Lake City Middle School, Grand Oaks Elementary School, Andersonville Elementary School and Clinton Elementary School each. However, Parrott said he did not expect to lay many people off.
“Most of your staff reduction goes when people retire or they’re not brought back each year,” he said.
Other school cuts involve staff development, library books, other supplies and materials, career and technical education, transportation, health services, special education, technology, fiscal services, safety, capital outlay architects and building improvements among other items.
