Effingham County school board members unanimously approved their budget for the 2008-09 year Monday night and with it, the millage they will levy on county property owners in a special called meeting.

The final millage rate that was adopted was 15.468, a slight increase from the 15.455 that had been proposed.

“It’s still a rollback,” Superintendent of Schools Randy Shearouse said. “But because of the appeals to property taxes, there was a change.”

The school bond millage rate, which was to be lowered to 1.169, will be 1.17. Last year’s millage rate was 15.57 and the school bond millage rate was 1.178.

The school system’s budget for fiscal year 2009 will be $87.6 million, a 7.2 percent increase over the FY08 budget. Local property taxes will account for $25.8 million and the system’s state allotment is expected to be nearly $59.4 million.

Among its expenditures, the school system projects to spend more than $14.8 million in grades 1-3, a 10.1 percent increase over the previous budget. Projected spending for all grades, K-12, is expected to be nearly $44.9 million. The system is expected to spend $7.95 million on special education in the coming fiscal year.

General and school administration is projected at $6.3 million. The maintenance and operations line item is $6.5 million.
Monday night’s called meeting was necessary because the county commissioners needed the final millage Tuesday for approval.