By Toni Garrard Clay/AISD Communications Specialist
The Athens ISD Board of Trustees on Monday night approved balanced budgets for the district’s three required funds. The local maintenance (or operating) fund was approved at $25,563,441. The child nutrition budget was approved at $1,820,843. And the debt service budget was approved at $2,157,270. The school district’s fiscal year begins July 1.
“Our budget is heavily weighted toward the direct instruction and support of the student experience,” said AISD Chief Financial Officer Randy Jones. “The vast majority of our money goes to the classroom.”
Seventy percent of expenditures fall in the category of instruction, 16 percent in the category of maintenance and transportation, and 14 percent in administration and support. On the revenue side, 52 percent of funds are local ($13,182,403), 47 percent are state funded ($12,011,038), and 1 percent ($370,000) comes from the federal government.
Jones cautioned the board members that the budget being approved “does not include the potential effect of the state’s increase of the homestead exemption, which will result in a reduction of local tax revenue for us. … [Legislators] have promised to make up the lost revenue, though how remains to be seen.”
“This reminds me of the last time the state lowered property taxes and put in place the franchise tax, which was supposed to make up the difference (in lost revenue to school districts). That has been an epic failure,” said Superintendent Blake Stiles. “… I don’t know how they’re going to make up that extra money. … I’ve read every (education) bill that’s been put out, and I’m pretty disappointed in this legislative session.”