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By Neil B. McGahee

Managing Editor

The Crisp County Board of Education met in a called meeting Tuesday to hold a second public hearing before adopting the 2022-2023 budget.

No one participated in the public hearing so the budget was finalized and adopted.

Revenues came from local taxes, $10,660,000; $250,064,508 from state revenues; $261,000 from local sources; $157,049 and $450,000 in fund equity made the majority of the $36,592,557 revenue for the General Fund..

Federal funding and nutrition grants contributed $$22,833,272 to the General Fund while the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds contributed $4.8 million and are earmarked for capital projects.

All four funds —the General Fund, the Special Revenue Funds, the Debt Service Fund and Capital Projects — balanced.

The board voted unanimously to adopt the budget.

“The district administration is pleased that our FY23 final budget was passed 6-0 last night,” Superintendent Cindy Hughes said. “This budget includes a 4.5 percent reduction on property taxes but also includes funds to continue and expand the extra instructional support that is needed for our students to regain academic loss from the pandemic.”

Hughes worried that some readers might be confused.

“The millage rate hasn’t been set yet,” she said, “so technically we haven’t lowered property taxes.

“Our millage rate has rolled back every year for the past four years. The Board wanted our FY 2023 to reflect that we would have a 4.5 percent reduction in the budgeted revenue from property taxes.”
“The last two-and-a-half years have been challenging for our entire community, our employees and our students.  We are looking forward to the 2023 school year with high expectations and a return to normalcy for our students.”