Appoquinimink Board of Education moves ahead with a preliminary amended budget for the year.
The amended budget is a regular part of the budgeting process - a way to make tweaks to the current year’s budget based on changing financial circumstances. But, this year comes with extra challenges, as the district continues to grapple with the effects of a major budget shortfall caused by accounting errors and continuing uncertainty around reassessment.
Chuck Longfellow, a consultant working with Appo, told Board of Education members this amended budget is austere, in order to deal with those challenges.
“You do know that the district has made some significant cuts in order to get this budget within where we need it to be," he said.
As the district works on the amended budget, uncertainty around reassessment remains.
“The biggest risk that we face, and you've just named it, is if suddenly the tax appeals are more successful than they should be, or we project they're going to be," said School board member Tim Higgins.
Longfellow agreed with that.
“It's a really bumpy road that we're on as far as knowing exactly where we're going to land as far as our assessed value," he said.
That could mean less revenue, a number the district won’t have until at least next month.
There’s more work to do on the amended budget. Board members are expected to vote on a final version in February after they get more clarity on actual property tax receipts.
