Pickens County school board approves $187.24 million general fund budget with pay increases

The Pickens County School District board on May 27 approved the third reading of the fiscal year 2025–26 General Fund budget, a balanced plan of $187,236,124 that the administration said does not include a tax increase or the use of fund balance.

Miss Sarah Reinhart, finance staff, told trustees the third reading is “balanced in the amount of $187,236,124 and does not include a tax increase or the use of fund balance.” She said the figure represents a 4.6% increase over the district’s amended FY25 general fund budget and that the mill rate shown will be adjusted after reassessment data is received this summer.

The budget document presented to the board breaks revenue and expenditures into broad categories. Reinhart said about 66.56% of the revenue (roughly $124.6 million) is expected from the state and about 32.9% (approximately…