Lower tax collections mean smaller pay raises for Hall County teachers, other school employees

Hall County public school teachers may not see as big of a pay raise in the coming school year as they had hoped.

 

Hall County School Board members heard at their Monday night meeting that the latest local tax digest estimate will not increase as much as projected, so that will impact the size of pay hikes. 

 

"We had been planning, hopefully, on a 3-percent increase in the local digest," said Deputy School Superintendent Lee Lovett. "Scott Martin, who works over in the tax commissioner's office...thinks that we're being a little over optimistic to base our budget on 3-percent. He thinks two is more likely."

 

Lovett and Superintendent Will Schofield outlined a number of reasons for the lower digest - increased exemptions, tag erosion through TAVT and a lack of re-assessment of residential properties. 

 

No matter the reason, projected pay increases for classified and certified employees will be lower than the original plan of 3-percent. Schofield said he prefers to look at the positive rather than the negative side of the situation. 

 

"The good news is the employees of the Hall County School District will still, at the current projected budget, see between a 2.5 percent and a 7.5 percent raise - 2.5 across the board and then step raises for classified and certified employees," Schofield said. 

 

Schofield also said the board will need to dip into reserve funds to meet needed expenses for the 2016-17 school year. He said about $4.3 million will need to come from reserves.

 

In addition, budget writers reduced unassigned teaching positions from 15 to 12, and because of lower fuel costs, the amount set aside for fuel for school buses was lowered to $300,000.

 

At this point in the budget process, there's been no discussion on lowering the millage rate. Schofield noted that it will be difficult to lower the millage rate with the tax digest remaining stagnant.

 

A final budget will not be approved until June.