BOE Says SPLOST Falls Short

“So far, we’re about $2.6 million behind where we’d thought we’d be

.” At its December 8th meeting, The Pickens County Board of Education (BOE) reported the County’s financial report, as the calendar year closes, looking ahead to the bulk of the fiscal year. Finance Director Amy Burgess broke the report down into three sections, one of which focused on SPLOST (Special Option Sales Tax) revenue.

“So far,” Burgess said, “we’re about $2.6 million behind where we’d thought we’d be.”

For November, SPLOST revenue was projected at $396,143. However, the actual revenue received was $327,947.97, showing a $68,200.03 shortfall. The interest on the revenue was $2,601.04, for a credit total of $330,544.01. According to the report, one check was written against the recent revenue. The $ 7,228.80 check was used to pay for retrofitting the lights in the Old Pickens High School Gymnasium. No other SPLOST projects were listed on the report or were indicated for 2012. Although noting the underage of projected SPLOST dollars, Burgess said that the revenue received has allowed the District to satisfy all of its needs, addressing any shortfalls.

Burgess also said that the BOE has received 37 percent of revenue from property taxes, which were due December 6th. Overall, she said that the District has collected 32.53 percent of budgeted revenue and expended 30.5 percent of expenditures.

“We’ve finally reached the part of the year when the revenues are going to exceed the expenditures,”

Superintendent Ben Desper said, confirming the current status of the District’s budget. So far, $12,891,554.79 of the expected $39,627,168.00 revenue has been collected of the FY12 budget and $12,106,864.34 of the proposed $40,556,691.00 has been expended.

But, the shortfall in SPLOST dollars and dribbling in of taxes, are evocative of the still gasping economy. During this month’s Jasper City Council meeting, Community Economic Development Director Gerry Nechvatal said that Eleison Composites was bought out and will soon leave the County, costing seven jobs. Nechvatal, though, seemed optimistic, saying that if the two companies he is now working with establish facilities in Pickens County, they will more than compensate for the seven jobs lost by the exit of Eleison.