No tax hike in new city school budget

GAINESVILLE - The Gainesville school board Wednesday tentatively adopted an almost $40.3 million budget for the next fiscal year.

It's an increase of nearly two million from the current one.

"We have a base budget, so there were alot of budget cuts," Gainesville Superintendent Steve Ballowe said.

Ballowe said the reductions involved programs, not personnel, but employees won't get any raises unless they are mandated by the state.

The board also decided to rollback the millage rate when reassessments are finished.

Reserve funds are a smaller percentage of the budget than the past few years.

Ballowe said members didn't want to raise taxes, so they are balancing the budget with some of that "carryover" money.

"The board decided that this year they were going to drop down to about five to seven percent for emergencies," Ballowe said.

The reserve is normally ten percent.

Final adoption of the budget by the board is scheduled June 19. Public hearings will be held June 2 and 16.

Two new elementary schools are scheduled to open in August.