CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield Area School District Board of Directors casted their votes twice at Monday night’s regular meeting before voting, 5-2, to finalize the 2011-12 general fund budget with a 3-mill property tax increase.
Board members Dave Glass, Tim Morgan, Mary Anne Jackson, Susan Mikesell and Phil Carr all voted in favor during the second roll call.
Board members Rick Schickling and Jennifer Wallace opposed the same, while board members Larry Putt and Dr. Michael Spencer were absent.
Although the initial vote generated a 4-3 majority, it failed because of school board policies, which require an affirmative vote from the full board to gain approval. A full board majority is five board members.
Voting in favor the first time were board members Glass, Morgan, Jackson and Mikesell. Board members Schickling, Wallace and Carr voted down the original motion made by Morgan and seconded by Jackson.
The budget anticipates $31,380,476 in total revenue and an expense of $33,106,420, which creates a deficit of $1,725,944 that’ll be covered by its fund balance. A surplus of $661,534 is projected for the current-year with revenue at $35,083,550 versus expenses of $34,422,016.
According to budget paperwork, the deficit will shrink the district’s fund balance from $4,895,752 to $3,169,808. A 3-mill property increase will generate $363,000 in real estate tax revenue while increasing millage to 92.84 percent for 2011-12.
The district’s expenditures decreased by 1.27 percent, or $425,175, from the current-year budget. However, the state’s funding for the district was represented by an approximately 10.63 percent decrease, including a 9.31 percent, or $1,193,688, reduction in the basic education subsidy.
Federal funding to the district is also expected to decrease by 25.73 percent, or $504,050, next year. Overall, the district anticipates revenue to decrease by 5.54 percent, or $1,841,193, from the current-year budget.
Real estate taxes represented 78 percent of the district’s local revenues for next year, while salaries and benefits accounted for 48 percent and 19 percent, respectively of the district’s spending.
