Warsaw Schools OK $38 Million Budget For '97
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Warsaw Community Schools Board on Wednesday approved a preliminary budget of approximately $38 million for 1997.
The proposed budget is a 3.7 percent increase over last year's actual budget. The final amount and tax rate will not be set until later this year, after the school corporation receives the figures on the district's assessed valuation.
The $38 million comprises five funds: general, debt service, transportation, capital projects and handicapped preschool.
About half the total budget comes from the state. The rest is raised through property taxes, bank and excise taxes, and miscellaneous revenue.
Rande Thorpe, WCS business manager, said after the meeting that almost 70 percent of the budget goes to the general fund for salaries and benefits. However, the school district must make up for some expenses once covered by the state.
For example, Thorpe said, the state's allotment for Social Security was frozen at 1991 levels; likewise, the district is expected to fund more and more of the teachers' retirement fund that was once entirely covered by the state.
The proposed budget allocates about $2 million to the capital projects fund, which is used for building improvements and equipment purchases. Thorpe said in 1997 approximately 47 percent of the fund will be spent on equipment, and most of that will be computers for the schools.
The transportation budget of $1.6 million for 1997 would allow for the replacement of two school buses.
The school board held a public hearing Aug. 12 on the proposed budget with minimal public input. The budget will be reviewed in November by the State Board of Tax Commissioners, with final approval by the state in December. [[In-content Ad]]
Warsaw Community Schools Board on Wednesday approved a preliminary budget of approximately $38 million for 1997.
The proposed budget is a 3.7 percent increase over last year's actual budget. The final amount and tax rate will not be set until later this year, after the school corporation receives the figures on the district's assessed valuation.
The $38 million comprises five funds: general, debt service, transportation, capital projects and handicapped preschool.
About half the total budget comes from the state. The rest is raised through property taxes, bank and excise taxes, and miscellaneous revenue.
Rande Thorpe, WCS business manager, said after the meeting that almost 70 percent of the budget goes to the general fund for salaries and benefits. However, the school district must make up for some expenses once covered by the state.
For example, Thorpe said, the state's allotment for Social Security was frozen at 1991 levels; likewise, the district is expected to fund more and more of the teachers' retirement fund that was once entirely covered by the state.
The proposed budget allocates about $2 million to the capital projects fund, which is used for building improvements and equipment purchases. Thorpe said in 1997 approximately 47 percent of the fund will be spent on equipment, and most of that will be computers for the schools.
The transportation budget of $1.6 million for 1997 would allow for the replacement of two school buses.
The school board held a public hearing Aug. 12 on the proposed budget with minimal public input. The budget will be reviewed in November by the State Board of Tax Commissioners, with final approval by the state in December. [[In-content Ad]]