Savannah-Chatham School Board approves FY2025 budget with slightly rolled back millage rate

The Savannah-Chatham County Public School System's (SCCPSS) board approved the district's Fiscal Year 2025 $884 million budget and millage rate of 17.481 mills, which is a roll back from its initial proposal of 17.631 mills.

Superintendent Denise Watts, Ed. D., spoke before the final public hearing and board vote. “I share your discontent, I share your urgency," she said then added a cautionary message for those who had requested cutting the budget and rolling back the millage rate. "I will say there is not one single example across this country where I have seen a district cut funds and see an improvement of student achievement at the same time. It just simply does not happen."

During her comments Watts announced the .15 mills decrease to the proposed millage rate, which will ultimately result in a reduction of the district's $622,079,666 general fund. The district is calculating what the exact amount will be in terms of the reduction and what functions or staff will be impacted. About 83% of the general fund budget goes toward employee salaries.

Millage rate background: Savannah-Chatham schools proposes to maintain millage rate once again

SCCPSS holds hearing on $882M budget: Turnout low at first public hearing for Savannah schools' proposed FY2025 budget

Watts addressed public's concerns with caution

Watts first addressed that “despite differing opinions I believe that there is a shared commitment that we all have to the future of our students and the success of our schools.”

She acknowledged the need for the district to be fiscally responsible. She reiterated her attempts to cut costs by decreasing spending on administrative positions. She underscored that SCCPSS is one of the few districts in the state and the country that is not facing a funding cliff now that federal COVID-19 pandemic relief programs have ended. She vowed to continue to look at ways to reduce the budget, without much in the way of new or specific ideas from the the public who attended the third and final millage hearing.

She said that she understands from the public’s comments that the district’s financial steps have not been enough. So, she committed to continual focus on reducing the budget in coming years, but to do so in a way that “does not compromise the efficiency of our district and the effectiveness of how we serve the students.”

As a symbolic gesture of her commitment to “chipping away,” she shared that if the budget were to be approved, she would not accept a cost-of-living adjustment that other employees would receive.

It was at this point that she introduced the .15 reduction to the previously proposed millage rate. She felt it was a fair compromise that "balances the interests of our taxpayers without compromising what our students and what our employees need and deserve."

She warned that the county and surrounding area had to be very careful about its decisions. “There is a strong desire to meet [local] workforce demands and dramatically improve student learning but our educators cannot be the ones asked to do more with less,” she said. She mentioned that other government entities also have taxing power.

“Our education system should be the last place we are demanding a millage rollback.”

'Roll back' millage rate: Public's message to Savannah-Chatham school board

District 7 school board rep change: Newly elected Stephanie Campbell shares insights after recent win

Public, again, demands millage rollback, board responds before vote

Although 15 members of the public spoke during the third and final millage rate hearing, the majority soon exited the Jessie Collier DeLoach Boardroom after they spoke, after which the board discussed and voted on the revised millage rate.

All 15 speakers reiterated similar reasons for a millage rate reduction and some repeated their points made during the first two hearings. Each speaker requested a rollback rate that was more significant than the one ultimately approved.

At least two of the speakers used their alloted three minutes to remind school board members that their seats were up for reelection next year and that voters were watching. Most speakers left immediately after they spoke and did not stay for the board discussion and vote.

School Board President Roger Moss took issue with these "threats." He expressed that stakeholders may not always agree but that there was room for kindness. He also expressed gratitude to those who attended the hearings, specifically the few who stayed for the board's special session on Thursday evening.

School Board Representatives Shawn Kachmar (District 4) and David Bringman (District 6) were not physically present but they called in during both the public hearing and special session so that they could cast their votes.

Each board member took time to make comments prior to the vote. All praised Watts and the district leadership on their efforts to reduce costs and devise as sound a budget as possible.

District 7 School Board Representative Michael Johnson acknowledged this would be his final vote on a school board budget after having voted on nine others. "I only voted in favor of two budgets and this is not going to be one of them," he said, adding that he would not support a budget without a full rollback of the millage rate. He was the lone dissenting vote for both the budget and the millage rate. His soon-to-be successor, Stephanie Campbell, sat in the crowd diligently taking notes throughout the evening.

Joseph Schwartzburt is the education and workforce development reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at JSchwartzburt@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: SCCPSS board approves $884 million budget with millage rate decrease