Dr. Roark Horn, AEA 267 Chief Administrator
Final decisions on educational appropriations were made by the State Legislature on the last day of the this year’s session, which occurred after I conducted budget hearings at the main offices. There was good news and bad news regarding the AEAs. We are getting the 2% in supplemental state aid (formerly allowable growth), so increased revenue to us on that will be about $450,000. But the language in the bill was written in such a way that AEAs would not receive the additional 2% in the “2% + 2%” proposal. This was a surprise and we believe this was not the legislative intent. We are trying to get this addressed, but it is possible it will stand as passed since the legislature has adjourned. That will cost AEA 267 about $450,000 in additional revenue. The good news, however, is that the Legislature did restore some of the $20 million cut that we have been under for the past two years. They gave the AEAs back $5 million, which is an additional increase for 267 of about $700,000. Negotiated settlements have been reached, but some are yet to be ratified. Once that is all done it appears that for next year expenses will exceed revenues by about $1.5 million. This continues us on the wrong trajectory, but if everyone continues the current practice of working together to manage expenses there is hope that we can pause or reverse that trajectory in 2014-15.