BUTLER TWP - The Butler County Vocational-Technical School has introduced its preliminary 2005-06 budget, which includes a 5.6 percent increase in operating costs.

The $3.5 million budget includes a 4.7 percent increase in participating school districts' total payments from this fiscal year.

Currently, districts are paying $2.6 million to the vo-tech. In the proposed budget, they will be paying $2.7 million in 2005-06.

The biggest portion of the proposed budget goes to salaries, which make up 51.3 percent of the total budget. Salary costs for 2005-06 are estimated at $1.8 million, up $71,323 over the current year.

"There is no way that we can adjust those costs," said Joe Cunningham, vo-tech director.

Employee benefits make up 20.6 percent of the preliminary budget, with $738,274 going toward those costs. It is a $45,398 increase over the current year's figures.

A total of $262,042 for new equipment also is proposed in the new budget, showing a $138,608 increase over the current year.

Cunningham said of that amount, $172,000 is from a federal grant, and that amount will not be charged to member school districts in their payments.

The school showed decreases in spending in several areas as well, including a $36,885 decrease in property services and a $31,871 decrease in supplies and books.

The preliminary budget also shows a $50,000 decrease in building improvement services.

The proposed budget is being presented to all seven member districts in March and April and final adoption is slated for April 7.