Bibb County projects $24.5 million shortfall in preliminary FY26 budget

Eric Bush, chief financial officer for Bibb County School District, presented the district’s preliminary financial outlook for fiscal year 2026 at a budget work session, saying the district faces a projected $24.5 million net deficit under current assumptions.

The deficit follows an assumed beginning fund balance of $67,000,007.91 and projected revenues of $265,100,000, leaving a preliminary fund-balance-to-expenditures ratio of about 14.9%, inside the district’s stated tolerance and near the state’s stated minimum (8%) and maximum (15%).

Why it matters: the projected shortfall would affect staffing, program support and the district’s ability to maintain small neighborhood schools unless the district increases revenue or reduces expenditures. Staff warned that common remedies — salary increases or tax-increase measures — have substantial budget impacts and long-term trade-offs.

Bush said multiple state-level changes and inflationary pressures are driving the outlook. Among the largest impacts, he cited an expected $9.12 million decrease in the state equalization grant and sharp increases in local costs for employee health insurance and pension contributions. “The certified state health insurance ... raises the cost for them…