Melanie Balakit

USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee

Williamson County school officials have touted next year's school budget as lean and conservative.

The proposed budget is about 6 percent higher than last year's, but only because of higher medical insurance costs and student growth - two factors out of their control.

They even saved about $3 million by choosing to forego expensive science textbooks for an open source curriculum.

Where else could they cut?

Officials may have to figure it out soon.

The county commission's budget committee proposed a 1.46 percent cut Thursday to the operational budget.

The $5 million cut will impact dozens of employee positions as salaries comprise the majority of the district's budget, said Leslie Holman, chief financial officer for Williamson County Schools.

Williamson County Director of Schools Mike Looney called the proposed cut tragic.

"It's not like this budget hasn't been vetted multiple times," Looney said.

Principals submit requests to central office. Central office vets those requests, then the school board reviews the whole budget. Cuts are made at every level, Looney said.

"As a community, we have to decide what our priority is," Looney said. "We can't fund our school system with pennies."

He added: "This is tragic. It's tragic."

The county could approve the $343 million proposed budget. But it would take an 8-cent property tax increase to cover a projected revenue shortfall.

Many commissioners have said they're opposed to raising the property tax again after raising the tax last year.

"I don't think the commission has an appetite for a property tax increase," said Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson.

The commission's education committee approved the operational budget earlier this week with one caveat - only if it would not result in a property tax increase.

Anderson also said that even with the $5 million cut, the school district's budget is still about 4 percent higher than last year, roughly equal to the amount the district expects its student population to grow.

School officials said that's not a fair comparison, as medical insurance costs account for about 2 percent of the budget increase.

"I'm emphatic to the commission's plight, but I'm also frustrated because we keep repeating this process for the sake of having lower taxes," Looney said.

"Look I'm a conservative. I want lower taxes too. But I also want my children and the children I serve to go to great schools and have the resources they need to learn," he said.

A growing number of parents have asked county officials to fund school needs - even if it means raising the sales tax, wheel tax or property tax.

A Facebook group called "Fund Our Schools" formed less than a month ago has more than 1,000 members.

The budget committee originally proposed cutting the district's budget by $8 million. Rep. Charles Sargent may be able to secure $2.5 million in growth funds from the state, Anderson said.

Looney said he'd bring up the proposed budget cuts to the school board Tues. May 2 at their special called board meeting.

Capital fund

The budget committee approved the full $11 million request. The capital fund covers building maintenance and technology.

Reach Melanie Balakit at mbalakit@tennessean.com.