How the supervisors might save $400K

PALMYRA — The Fluvanna Board of Supervisors will set a budget to advertise during its March 20 meeting and already county staff has suggested potential savings to the county administrator proposed budget.

In an earlier Fluco Blog article, it was reported four of the five supervisors are not planning on voting for the entire $14.1 million School Board budget request. The fifth supervisor, Mozell Booker (Fork Union District), said she wanted to fully fund the schools but doesn’t see $14.1 million possible.

All of the supervisors did say they were comfortable raising the school funding level from the proposed Nichols Budget level of $13.2 million. The supervisors also agreed the Nichols Budget was put together well and would be a strong foundation to work with stressing there was no need to create a budget from scratch as in years past.

If the supervisors want to get to more funding to the school system while keeping Nichols’ proposed tax decrease, there is already proposals from staff on how to accomplish it. The measures, if collectively done, could free up $400,000 without changing the tax rate.

The measures include adjustments to the revenues and expenditures. Some of the major changes to revenue include passing on savings from personnel contingency from FY13, adjustments in projected personal property and compensation board increase and benefit increase.

The highlighted changes in expenditures are assuming more risk in the other post-employment board fees, removing some funding from non-profits, adjustments in the county health plan and doing a lower pay increase for county staff. Some of the proposed savings are estimated but assumed at conservative values.

If the supervisors decide to pass an equalized tax rate, it would include another $520,000. One cent of tax revenue is roughly $260,000 at 96 percent collection rate.

The supervisors will make a decision to advertise a budget on March 20. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at the Fluvanna Circuit Courtroom.