APS Budget Commission to discuss proposed FY14 budget

The APS Budget Commission will convene today, Thursday May 16, to discuss the proposed FY14 budget.

APS projects $554 million in revenue for FY14 and appropriations of $615 million, which constitutes a $61 million budget gap.

APS is funded by a combination of property tax revenues and state funding for education.

For the past few years, economic conditions have forced the district to compensate for state education funding cuts and reductions in property tax revenues through a series of austere measures, including department budget cuts, spending freezes, cutting employee cost of living increases and step increases, and building furlough days into the budget.   

Much of the discussion during Monday’s Budget Commission meeting revolved around closing the budget gap, which included recommendations to use money from the district’s fund balance reserve, building furlough days into the budget, property sales, and program and personnel reductions.

“The challenge in any budget is how to make cost reductions without compromising strategy,” stated APS Superintendent Erroll Davis during the Monday meeting.

Today’s meeting is scheduled to begin at 3:00 pm in the CLL auditorium room #1, located at 130 Trinity Ave., S.W., Atlanta, GA 30303.  The meeting is open to the public.