Over $400 million from county budget going toward public education

Staff Photo by Dan Henry / The Chattanooga Times Free Press- 5/17/16. Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger speaks to Kirk Kelly, interim superintendent and Christy Jordan, assistant superintendent of finance as they present the school budget during the Hamilton County Commission meeting on May 17, 2016.  on Tuesday May 17, 2016.
Staff Photo by Dan Henry / The Chattanooga Times Free Press- 5/17/16. Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger speaks to Kirk Kelly, interim superintendent and Christy Jordan, assistant superintendent of finance as they present the school budget during the Hamilton County Commission meeting on May 17, 2016. on Tuesday May 17, 2016.

Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger presented his budget for the upcoming fiscal year Tuesday morning, noting this will be the 11th consecutive year without a tax increase for schools and that most of the county's budget continues to be spent on education.

"You'll see expenditures are heavy in public education, which is a good thing," Coppinger told the county commissioners gathered.

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photo Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger speaks about the budget during a county commission meeting in June 2015.

He explained that 62 percent of this year's budget will go toward public education to the tune of $417,716,000. He added that an additional 3 percent of the country's expenditures will be used to pay off debt from new school construction.

Commissioners were quick to point out Tuesday that despite not having a tax increase for schools, the Hamilton County Department of Education has received increased funding every year from revenue growth.

This year local property and sales tax growth will give the school system a $4 million boost. The school district also expects to receive about $10 million in additional money from the Basic Education Program, which is the state's funding formula for schools.

Overall, the Hamilton County Department of Education will see an increase of only $11.8 million though, as the remaining money is designated for self-funded programs.

The school board voted 6-3 last week to approve a balanced budget that requires taking $1.2 million from reserves. School board members Rhonda Thurman, Greg Martin and Chairman Jonathan Welch voted against that budget.

Coppinger told commissioners about the school board's decision of drawing from the fund balance.

Commissioner Joe Graham replied, "Wow! And the explanation is?"

Coppinger said the county's revenues did not meet the school system's expenditures, and it was the board's decision to dip into reserves to balance the budget.

"But they are getting a $12 million increase," Graham stated. "They can't balance their budget without dipping into their fund balance?"

Coppinger reminded Graham the school board made the same decision last year to take money from its reserves to balance the budget. He also noted that the school system is not getting the $24 million of increased revenue it previously requested.

Later in the budget presentation, Graham stated that the school system "gets what it needs in the form of revenue."

"It's up to our school elected officials and whoever our superintendent will be to make sure that they take what we give them and make use of it to get our students' scores up," he said. "We can do our part, we can't do their part. They are an elected body by the same people that elected us."

Commissioner Warren Mackey chimed in, saying it's up to the school board to "put the money where it needs to be."

The commission is expected to vote on Coppinger's budget proposal on June 29.

Contact staff writer Kendi Anderson at 423-757-6592 or kendi.anderson@timesfreepress.com. Follow on twitter @kendi_and.

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