Board eyes a better budget

Spending plan much improved over 2005-06

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

By JANE CARLSON

The Register-Mail

What happened: The Galesburg District 205 Board of Education approved a $40 million tentative 2006-07 budget that shows a marked improvement in the district's financial situation from last year. Paul Woehlke, director of finance and operations, said the budget has a possibility of being balanced in September, if predictions about enrollment are correct.

The good news: The closing of Lincoln Elementary School and the reduction of staff and assistant coaches at Galesburg High School brought the education fund deficit from $800,000 in 2005-06 to $119,500 in 2006-07. The foundation level increased enough to keep revenue from that source constant and officials believe the decline in equalized assessed valuation may have "bottomed out."

More good news: The district will receive an unanticipated $400,000 in 2006-07 and again in 2007-08 due to an increase in corporate personal property replacement tax. The windfall is temporary because state aid will be adjusted to account for the increase after two years. A portion of this year's funds will be used for surveillance equipment at GHS and entrance-security measures at other buildings.

The bad news: The district has still major projects in need of funding, such as roof replacement for elementary schools and asbestos removal at Churchill Junior High. The effects of declining enrollment and uncertainty about state aid continue to be areas of concern.

What they said: "We went through a process that was difficult but necessary," Woehlke said of the process of trimming the budget significantly in one year. State Rep. Don Moffitt, R-Gilson, who attended the meeting to field board members' questions about state funding, commended the district on getting its fiscal house in order. "I am not satisfied with where we are with school funding in Illinois," he said.

What's next: The tentative budget will be on public display at the district administrative offices. The final budget will be approved at the Sept. 11 board meeting following a public hearing.