COVINGTON, Ga. — After approving a tentative budget one week ago for fiscal year 2023, the Newton County Schools Board of Education was slated to hear feedback on the proposed annual operating budget Tuesday night, May 17.
A spending plan totaling more than $217 million was approved 4-1 (District 1 Board Member Trey Bailey opposed) on May 10. Nearly $183 million would be earmarked for salaries and benefits.
The budget was based on revenues of $197,146,518. More than $120 million was projected from state revenues and $76.8 million was projected from local revenues.
The school system would use $18.5 million from its beginning fund balance of $45 million to balance the budget, leaving an end balance of approximately $24.5 million.
The proposed budget would give employees an approximate 7% pay increase, totaling $9.8 million. Part of this would include a $2,000 pay increase for certificated employees approved by the General Assembly, as well as a 3% pay increase for all non-certificated employees, which was said to equal the state’s increase for certificated employees.
And on top of that, all employees would get an additional 4% raise.
During a 7 p.m. meeting Tuesday, May 17, community members had the opportunity to present feedback on the tentative budget to members of the school board before a final budget was expected to be approved in June.
Coverage of this meeting and future budget talks may be found online at CovNews.com and in future print editions of The News.