Livingston schools cancel budget change
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LIVINGSTON — In the end, the Livingston Parish School Board decided to keep school financing of utility costs as it has been rather than change things around to save the general fund a little money.
By a 5-4 vote, the board undid a budget revision that would have protected the general fund but drawn more revenue from district-level sales tax revenues relied on for maintenance and minor school improvements, board minutes show.
The vote exposed the frequent tension on the board over how to spend parishwide general fund revenues and revenues generated or allocated at the local, district level.
The board passed an amendment that prevented a $300,000 transfer from district-level sales tax revenues to pay for utilities at school cafeterias, board members said.
Traditionally, the general fund has covered that cost because the school food service fund, which is in the general fund, had surpluses, board members said.
In more recent years, the general fund has had to supplement food service as food costs have risen and state and federal aid has not kept up. In fiscal 2008-09, the general fund transferred more than $4 million to food services, budget documents show.
In the tight economic times, school officials have looked for ways to save, board member Buddy Mincey Jr. said Friday.
As one savings option, business manager Terry Hughes, in an earlier version of the 2008-09 budget, had the $300,000 transfer for cafeteria utilities come from district-level funds, the so-called second sales tax fund.
Mincey supported the move earlier this year, but it came with later opposition from Board President Keith Martin.
On Thursday, Martin and four other members were able to block the transfer in approving the final revision to the 2008-09 budget.
The final budget projected a nearly $170 million general fund with a $307,438 one-time deficit before the transfer was changed, meaning even more will be drawn from the general fund.
Board members Mincey, Louis “Loody” Carlisle, Milton Hughes and Jimmy Watson voted against the amendment, minutes show.
In other action, the board approved a low bid of $596,000 from Stafford Construction Inc. for a new 12,200-square-foot bus maintenance facility at the School Board central office, minutes show.
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