Purcell provides more funds for schools in budget
For further information, contact:
Molly Sudderth, 862-6030
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 23, 2007
Mayor Bill Purcell will file a budget that includes an extra $6.6 million over the school board’s request for a total of $578 million for fiscal year 2008. The budget will not require a property tax increase.
Purcell discussed his $1.5 billion operating budget proposal before the Metro Council in the Council chambers. He plans to complete his capital spending plan and release it after the State of Metro address on May 24 at the Public Square.
The budget is being filed two months earlier than in the past. The new schedule was set under a Metro Charter amendment adopted by the Council and approved in a public referendum last year.
“This is the eighth and last operating budget I will present to the Metro Council,” Purcell said. “The budget is a statement of the priorities of our city. By its terms it reveals the course that we’re on and the way we will progress. Those priorities for this administration will always be education, public safety, our quality of life and valuing our employees.”
He said a proposal by Gov. Phil Bredesen would provide an additional $10 million in funds for schools. If Bredesen’s plan is adopted by the legislature, Metro schools would be able to fund almost all of the system’s list of unfunded priorities including the restoration of teacher and custodial positions.
Purcell is seeking an across the board 3 percent pay raise for all Metro employees. In order to fund the pay raise for all employees, he said he will ask the Civil Service Commission to suspend increments for one year.
Most departments took some cuts, Purcell said, but education and public safety were protected. The total budget rose by about 2.5 percent over last year.
Capital projects, including a proposal for a crime lab sought by the Metro Police Department, were not included in Purcell’s discussion. He said those projects will be discussed in the State of Metro and can be adopted by the Council at the same time as the operating budget before July 1.
Finance Director David Manning presented the budget details to the Council. His presentation included a discussion of options for preventing an increase in water rates and funding for homeless initiatives. Manning said Metro will provide nearly $2.7 million for homeless efforts next year. This is in addition to the more than $10 million in funds annually provided for homeless services from other sources including MDHA and the Department of Health.