BURTON SCHOOL BOARD ADOPTS TAX RATE AND BUDGET

  

The Burton School Board reviewed their proposed budget and tax rate and listened to comments from the public at their meeting Monday evening.  One resident asked several questions about the budget. Board member Felton Cox said he didn’t think the board spent enough time on the budget and that he wasn’t comfortable with it.  Board member Linda Hasten asked if they could look at lowering the tax rate to help property owners.  The board discussed dropping the tax rate one cent. They were concerned that may cause a budget shortfall at the end of the year and it would only save the average taxpayer $14.  Board President Demetrius Colvin stated that they were there to do what was in the best interest of the students.  He also said that any dollar they waste is a dollar that doesn’t benefit the kids. The board voted to adopt the budget with members Hasten and Cox voting against it.  The board then voted to adopt the tax rate of $1.17 per $100 valuation, the same as last year’s rate.   Linda Hasten was the only member to vote against the tax rate.

In other action the board voted to approve $78,000 in budget amendments to last year’s budget in order to close it out.  The new budget begins in September.

Finally, the board accepted the resignation of District Diagnostician Megan Pape.  She recently received her doctorate and has accepted a position elsewhere.