NEWBERRY COUNTY — The School District of Newberry County held its public hearing for the 2023-2024 budget last week where no one spoke for or against.
Susan Dowd, chief financial officer for the district, presented the budget for the coming year to the Newberry County Board of Trustees based around the possibility of increasing millage to bolster revenue. Dowd offered projections for a four mill increase, a two mill increase, and no mill increase. Since mill revenue is permanent once acquired but is not retroactive, Dowd cautioned, “when you don’t add millage, you lose it forever.”
Newberry County and the City of Newberry are both raising millage this year, raising discussion among the board as to whether they should do so for the first time in 12 years. An increase of four mills would raise the local revenue projections by $424,000 more than the no mill increase. The School District of Newberry County would use that money for essential expenses such as salaries and operational needs. Educator salaries quickly became a priority topic at the meeting.
Board Member Constance Shannon said that Newberry, “must offer competitive salaries so that we get good teachers that stay in Newberry, not move on to other better paying districts.”
Other board members suggested taking the money for those expenses from the Fund Balance rather than increase millage to get the funds. Dowd explained that ideally, Fund Balance money should be used for smaller, daily operational costs.
The prospect of increasing millage caused debate, with Board Member Ike Bledsoe voicing concerns.
“If we raise mills this year, we will raise them next year too,” he said.
Others including Board Member Jody Hamm pointed out that the millage increase would not be a heavy tax, totaling “about $86 per year on a taxpayer with two cars worth $30,000 each and a second home worth $300,000.”
After much discussion, the board indicated their preference for a 2023-2024 budget that did not incorporate increasing millage, making up the difference in the budget by drawing upon the Fund Balance and revisiting the question of a four mill increase at next year’s budget meeting.
The second reading is scheduled to be held on June 26, at during the next meeting.