A public hearing on the proposed $20.1 million 2015-16 budget for Fulton-Montgomery Community College will be held at 6:55 p.m. July 28 in the Legislative Office Building on Broadway in Fonda.
Montgomery County legislators passed a resolution Tuesday scheduling the public hearing on the spending plan, which calls for a $100,000 increase in the contribution made by each sponsoring county–the first request for an increase in seven years. The overall budget, as proposed, is 3.01 percent lower than the current year’s budget.
F-MCC President Dustin Swanger spoke to legislators last week about the proposed budget, saying enrollment at the college is down by about 10 percent. Tuition has been increased to $3,900 per year, and the college will use approximately $500,000 of its fund balance.
The original formula for community colleges to raise revenue includes about a third from state aid, a third from sponsoring contributions, and a third from student tuition, Swanger said, adding that it “never happens that way.” F-MCC receives about 27 percent of its revenue from state aid, 39 percent from tuition, 8 percent from the sponsoring counties, 6 percent from chargebacks to other counties, 3 percent from fund balance and 9 percent from other sources, he said.
Swanger made a similar presentation recently to the Fulton County Board of Supervisors, and a public hearing in Johnstown is scheduled for July 13. Following the public hearings, both county boards will vote on the proposed budget.
