Long County homeowners will not see an increase in their property taxes to fund the county’s public schools this year.
The Long County Board of Education set a 14.497 net millage rate when it approved the tax digest during a brief called meeting Monday morning. The net millage rate is 0.003 less than last year’s 14.500 net mill.
The school board passed its fiscal year 2019 budget in July.
As previously reported by the Courier, the school system’s estimated total revenue for the year stands at $41,669,270; coming from local taxes and other state and federal sources.
Total estimated expenditures of $46,762, 610 leaves a shortfall of about $5 million. However, the system’s projected fund balance of $9,289,834 would fill that budgetary hole, leaving an estimated $4,196,494 fund balance for June 30, 2019.
The budget includes a three percent one-time annual salary payout for their teachers. The FY19 budget can be found on the Long County Board of Education’s website.
In other school board business, four retiring educators were recognized for their 20-30 years of service during a regular meeting in mid-September: Sherry Smiley, Dr. Dean Brown, Lydia Simmons and Donna Davis.
The BOE’s next regular meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 22 at the school board office in Ludowici.