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Superintendent backs 3% COLA as Savannah-Chatham County board weighs millage scenarios and budget trade-offs
Summary
Board members reviewed a proposed FY27 budget that requests $683.7M for departments and schools and a total proposed budget of $708.8M when mandatory personnel costs are added; the superintendent recommended a 3% cost-of-living adjustment while staff presented millage-rate scenarios that would change how many strategic investments are funded.
The Savannah-Chatham County board discussed the fiscal 2027 budget in a May committee meeting where staff and consultants outlined personnel cost drivers, strategic investments and several millage-rate scenarios.
Sheena Gordon of Alvarez & Marsal told the board that “in total, as of today, the total FY27 budget request for the departments and the schools is $683,700,000, which reflects a 2% increase from the revised budget of FY26,” and that mandatory salary and benefit growth, step increases and a proposed COLA would bring the full FY27 request to $708,800,000. Gordon also said the team is reviewing textbook funding and other items presented at the April board workshop.
Ramon Ray presented personnel cost scenarios and outlined COLA options. “The recommendation on the superintendent is 3.3% at this point,” he said while…
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