Carson City schools pass final budget

Anticipating a $4 million shortfall from the Legislature, the Carson City School board passed a budget Wednesday evening with $53.3 million in expenditures.

"I think our approach to the budget is the right one," said Anthony Turley, finance director for the Carson City School District. "We're budgeting for the worst-case scenario."

Although the board had earlier considered layoffs, the final cuts do not include any reduction in forces.

However, many positions being vacated this year will not be filled, saving the district about $420,000.

Salary reductions also were excluded from the plan, but employees are expected to pay the difference in increased retirement and health-care costs. There also will be a salary freeze.

To offset the other reductions in revenue, the district will use $1.3 million from Edujobs for salaries and benefits. Another $1.3 million will come from an alternative compensation fund established years ago that the district is no longer required to keep.

The final $2.7 million will come from the ending-fund balance, dripping it about $9.8 million.

"We have taken what we consider an conservative approach to this budget," Turley said.

Other savings come through reducing energy costs and postponing buying new buses and textbooks.

Superintendent Richard Stokes said the district will look at ways to save more and make improvements to education.

"In the year to come, we will try to look at all our operations and make sure we're not shortchanging our students, but that we can still move forward academically," he said.

The budget must be filed with the state by June 8.