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Board tentatively adopts $659.5 million FY26 budget, sets 17.481 mills for advertisement amid rollback debate
Summary
The Board of Public Education tentatively adopted the fiscal 2026 budget and recommended a 17.481‑mill levy for advertisement; trustees debated whether to rollback the millage and how much fund balance to use, and staff said final millage can be reduced at the June 25 final adoption.
The Savannah‑Chatham County Board of Public Education on June 4 tentatively adopted the fiscal year 2026 budget for all funds and authorized staff to advertise a combined millage rate of 17.481 mills for calendar year 2025. The vote advanced the district’s tentative budgets while trustees debated whether to reduce the advertised millage prior to the final adoption vote on June 25.
Staff presented the budget totals used for the tentative adoption: a general fund budget of $659,511,639; estimated local revenues of $440,176,930; state revenues of $216,090,965; federal revenues estimated at $1,300,000; and a planned use of fund balance of $1,943,744. The capital projects funds budget for FY26 was presented as $162,123,459.
Chief financial staff explained the district must advertise a tentative millage and that the advertised rate may be higher than the eventual rate; staff noted the proposed rate exceeded the statutory rollback and that, under state law (O.C.G.A. 48‑5‑32.1), the district must advertise the proposed rate and disclose the percentage above rollback (the proposal was 3.89 percent above the rollback rate). Several trustees said they preferred a partial rollback but did not provide an agreed reduction amount at the meeting. Trustee David Bremen and others said they believed a small rollback could be absorbed without cutting program priorities; others urged caution given federal grant uncertainty and potential revenue volatility.
Board members and staff discussed timing: the district received updated digest information from the tax assessor’s office the morning of the meeting and staff said the updated figures were close to the estimates in the budget. Trustees were reminded the advertised tentative millage can be lowered at the final June 25 hearing but not increased above the advertised level.
The board advanced the tentative FY26 budget and authorized staff to advertise the 17.481 mill rate; trustees will vote on final budget adoption and final millage on June 25.
