Board approves budget amendment; CFO details referendum timing and transfers
Summary
The Hillsborough County School Board unanimously approved item C601, a budget and general amendment for November–December activity. CFO Jamie Lewis explained referendum timing that created temporary deficits, $9.5M in school recognition funds and major reallocations and grant receipts.
The Hillsborough County School Board voted unanimously to approve item C601, a budget and general amendment covering district activity for the periods ending Nov. 30 and Dec. 31, 2025. CFO Jamie Lewis summarized the months’ activity: the district received $9.5 million in school recognition funds in November and about $3.9 million in special-revenue grants; December brought net revenue increases including a $3.5 million final state calculation and additional special-revenue grant receipts, producing a net December increase of about $5.9 million.
Lewis explained why the district’s November fund balance was negative (approximately $15.8 million): the district began referendum payments to employees and charter schools earlier in the fiscal cycle than the related property-tax revenue arrived. He said the referendum-related expenditures in November totaled about $71 million while only $23 million of referendum revenue had been received, creating a temporary carry deficit that the district managed with cash-flow planning.
For December, Lewis reported reallocations to place budgeted funds in appropriate categories (a $40 million internal reallocation across object codes) and recorded a $10.1 million increase in expenses connected with bargaining agreements. Those added expenses were offset by the December revenue increases ($5.9 million) and department reductions totaling roughly $4.2 million, yielding a positive December fund balance reported at the meeting.
Board members asked questions about priorities. Member Vaughn praised the approach of reallocating departmental budgets rather than cutting positions, and Member Gray asked about expanding voluntary prekindergarten (VPK) funding; district staff said state rules limit the hours the state funds but noted the referendum provides some local support (the district increased VPK by $600,000 and postsecondary career-course fees by $1.8 million). Tracy Brown described partnerships with private VPK providers and using referendum dollars for program improvements. Member Rendon cautioned that a single-month positive balance does not resolve ongoing funding needs for teachers and schools.
The motion to approve C601 was moved by Member Vaughn and seconded by Member Washington; the motion passed without roll-call dissent.
