by Jackie Nunnery
LANCASTER—The board of supervisors on Thursday, May 7, adopted school and county budgets for fiscal 2020-21. Supervisors also set the tax rates for the calendar year 2020.
A $16,948,297 school budget was approved and appropriated in lump sum, by a vote of 4-1. Supervisors Jason Bellows, Ernest Palin, Bill Lee and Robert Westbrook supported the measure.
While the schools were seeking level funding of $11,724,057 from the county, supervisor Jack Larson said he could not support the proposed budget because “there were efficiencies that could still be obtained. I agree with people who spoke at the public hearing that they have done a better job. I’m not satisfied that they have done as much as they can.”
The board also passed a $35,361,336 countywide operating budget, excluding capital expenditures for the fiscal year.
County administrator Don Gill said the proposed budget, based primarily on fiscal year 2020 levels, will still have some expenditure increases based on…
