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The stalemate in Lansing over per-pupil funding accounts has dimmed the prognosis for the budget in Saline Area Schools for 24-25.
Miranda Owsley, assistant superintendent of finance for the district, presented the amended 24-25 budget as well as estimates for the future.
Last spring, after two straight years with state funding over $53 million, the district budgeted $53.6 million in state revenue in a $76.6 million budget.
The district has watched expenditures rise to $77.1 million and state revenue fall to $52.8 million.
Despite this, overall revenue is more than $2 million than budgeted due to special education funding flowing from the county.
The district had budgeted for a $1.69 million deficit. It's down to $25,000 in the existing budget.
Under Owsley, the district budgets conservatively and usually beats the target.
Future estimates show that state funding will fall or flatten for the next three school years. Owsley sees rising annual deficits eating into the fund balance (Around $15M today) unless something changes the numbers.
The Saline Board of Education is expected to pass the amended budget in March.
Board Trustee Tim Austin thanked Owsley for her work on the budget.
"It seems like at the state level, the money goes into a mixing bowl and becomes a convoluted mess. Thank you for keeping good tabs on it," Austin said. "That's what got Ann Arbor into so much trouble - they didn't keep good tabs on it."
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