April 4, 2018 at 5:30 p.m.
FRHC budget to see slight spending dip
For a proposed $8.56 million budget, that's a negligible change -- one that would not discernibly drive people's property taxes up or down, no matter how the board votes 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Central Office board room, 9423 N. State Road 9.
Instead, the key will be the total assessed value of northern Bartholomew County's taxable properties, said Jeff Cleland, the school district's business manager. He had not received word as of Monday whether that number was up or down.
"It needs to come from the county auditor," he explained.
Cleland said he always advertise budgets on the liberal end, because, according to state law, expenses can only be cut -- and never added -- once the budget is adopted.
The budgetnotices.in.gov website shows some funds within the Flat Rock-Hawcreek budget are higher than current levels, while others are lower. Together, they level out for a mostly break-even proposal.
For example:
The General Fund, used for teacher salaries and benefits, is funded entirely by the state and thus not supported by local taxpayer dollars. Cleland said the state will give the district an extra $80,000 in General Fund dollars next year because of a 16-student population spike.
"It was never our intent to have a break-even budget," Cleland said.
"It just shook out that way."
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