Austin ISD board of trustees meets June 1 to discuss buying land in South Austin soon rather than later.[/caption]
On Sept. 28, the Austin ISD board of trustees is slated to vote on a list of parameters and calendar dates that it will use to guide the district’s creation of its fiscal year 2016-17 budget.
The district plans to change its fiscal year start date to align the fiscal year with the school year, AISD Chief Financial Officer Nicole Conley said during the board's Sept. 21 meeting.
Parameters proposed to the board at the meeting included maintaining a fund balance that retains the district’s AAA bond rating, striving for a balanced budget, seeking cost savings and providing competitive compensation for all AISD employees.
On the proposed calendar, April 25 is the tentative date when Superintendent Paul Cruz will present the preliminary budget to the board, May 23 is when the revised budget is presented, and June 20 is when the board will adopt the budget.
Several trustees indicated during the meeting that they wanted parameter clarifications.
District 1 trustee Edmund Gordon asked district staff what it meant for the fund balance to be maintained to keep the district’s AAA bond rating. Staff said to Gordon that the district has a policy of keeping the fund balance at an amount of least 20 percent of its total expenditures.
Board president Gina Hinojosa said being competitive when it comes to paying staff means considering affordability in Austin overall.
“While we may not be paying less for classified employees compared to surrounding districts, when you factor in cost of living, we absolutely do,” Hinojosa said.
The parameter and calendar setting for the FY2016-17 comes three weeks after the board adopted the FY2015-16 budget, on Aug. 31. The budgeting process begins a year in advance because of the district’s financial challenges, Conley said.
Unlike the current fiscal year, which began Sept. 1, FY2016-17 will begin July 1 and end June 30, 2016.
Austin ISD board of trustees meets June 1 to discuss buying land in South Austin soon rather than later.[/caption]
On Sept. 28, the Austin ISD board of trustees is slated to vote on a list of parameters and calendar dates that it will use to guide the district’s creation of its fiscal year 2016-17 budget.
The district plans to change its fiscal year start date to align the fiscal year with the school year, AISD Chief Financial Officer Nicole Conley said during the board's Sept. 21 meeting.
Parameters proposed to the board at the meeting included maintaining a fund balance that retains the district’s AAA bond rating, striving for a balanced budget, seeking cost savings and providing competitive compensation for all AISD employees.
On the proposed calendar, April 25 is the tentative date when Superintendent Paul Cruz will present the preliminary budget to the board, May 23 is when the revised budget is presented, and June 20 is when the board will adopt the budget.
Several trustees indicated during the meeting that they wanted parameter clarifications.
District 1 trustee Edmund Gordon asked district staff what it meant for the fund balance to be maintained to keep the district’s AAA bond rating. Staff said to Gordon that the district has a policy of keeping the fund balance at an amount of least 20 percent of its total expenditures.
Board president Gina Hinojosa said being competitive when it comes to paying staff means considering affordability in Austin overall.
“While we may not be paying less for classified employees compared to surrounding districts, when you factor in cost of living, we absolutely do,” Hinojosa said.
The parameter and calendar setting for the FY2016-17 comes three weeks after the board adopted the FY2015-16 budget, on Aug. 31. The budgeting process begins a year in advance because of the district’s financial challenges, Conley said.
Unlike the current fiscal year, which began Sept. 1, FY2016-17 will begin July 1 and end June 30, 2016.
