APS Official Says Severe Budget Doesn't Affect Programs for Students

Although the Atlanta School System's fiscal 2012 budget is $11 million less than this year's, the spending plan won't hurt students' education, APS Chief Financial Officer Chuck Burbridge said Tuesday night.

"We're not raising millage rates, we're not laying off teachers, and we're not cutting programs," Burbridge said, adding that such things as music, art and language classes would be preserved. "This is not a retreat budget, this is a press-forward budget."

With local property tax revenues down and state funding severely cut, Burbridge said the school board is dipping into its $16 million savings to balance the budget. "We put it aside for a rainy day, and the rainy day is here," he said. The system overall is "down $100 million from peak resources," he said.

Along with the savings being tapped, APS departments are being cut and employees will receive no cost of living or step increases in salary. Each employee will have two involuntary furlough days. 

Burbridge made his comments during a slide presentation at a public hearing on the proposed $578 million budget. The hearing at Morris Brandon Elementary's primary campus drew three members of the public, along with about 15 school system officials. District 4 school board representative Nancy Meister also attended.

Yet the few citizens who showed up asked Burbridge tough questions. Although home values are beginning to rebound, he said, "the revenue picture does not look good in the next five years; it's still going to be tight."

Audience member Anne Harper, a former school board member, said the slides showing continued revenue shortages are "really quite alarming. You're talking about a serious, serious situation here."

With the continued shortages, she questioned the construction of a new North Atlanta High School. "Does it make sense to for the school system to indulge itself in building a huge footprint school?"

Although Burbridge didn't respond to her reference to the new high school, he did acknowledge that the school system would have to look at reducing its "footprint" in the community and consider changing methods of instruction.

Resident Boyd Baxter asked if the the homestead exemption would have to be lowered and the millage rate increased, Burbridge answered "that could be part of the solution."

Burbridge said the budget does include a 9 percent increase for charter schools, with a new one being built and classes added at existing ones. Unfunded pension costs, which will remain the same, are another big part of the budget, he said.

The proposed budget is $578 million, an $11 million reduction from the current year’s operating budget. Georgia school districts are required by law to have balanced budgets in place by the beginning of the new school year. 

The Atlanta Board of Education tentatively approved the proposed budget last week.  The budget comes to the board again for final approval on May 9. 

The proposed APS FY12 budget is $578 million, which constitutes an $11 million reduction from the current year’s operating budget.  Georgia school districts are required by law to have balanced budgets in place by the beginning of the new school year.

The district has compensated for state education funding cuts and reductions in property tax revenues due to economic conditions through a series of austerity measures.  As in past years, APS department budgets are being cut for the next fiscal year.  And as in past years, there will be no cost of living or step increases for employees.  Two involuntary furlough days are incorporated into the proposed budget.

APS is funded by a combination of property tax revenues and state funding for education.

The Atlanta Board of Education tentatively approved the proposed budget on April 18. The budget comes to the Board again for final approval on May 9.        

The schedule for the community meetings on next year’s proposed APS budget is detailed below.

• Wednesday, April 20 – Deerwood Academy, 3070 Fairburn Rd., SW 30331
• Thursday, April 21 – Price Middle School, 1670 Bickers Dr., SW 30315
• Tuesday, April 26 – Brandon Primary, 2845 Margaret Mitchell Dr., NW 30327
• Thursday, April 28 – Parkside Elementary, 685 Mercer St., SE 30312

All of the community meetings on the proposed APS FY12 budget start at 6 p.m.  Parents, students and community members are encouraged to attend and participate in the meetings.