BUTLER TWP — The Butler County Vocational-Technical School is considering adding a new program next school year because of enrollment growth.

The proposed school budget includes $134,570 more for educational programming. Part of that money could pay for salary increases and a new program, but a decision on the program will not be made until summer.

The school's Joint Operating Committee presented the budget, a 4.2 percent increase from the current budget, at Thursday night's meeting.

The money designated for the new program is the largest additional expense planned for the $3.69 million budget.

The committee will decide to offer a new program based on enrollment numbers. If the number of students taking vo-tech classes increases enough to warrant a new program, the committee will most likely add a program in a field closely related to an existing one, Joe Cunningham, vo-tech director, said.

This semester, 895 students from the county's seven districts are enrolled in one of the vo-tech's 16 programs.

The largest classes are in the cosmetology and health assistant programs.

If a new program is not needed, the unused money will be returned to the local districts, Cunningham said.

Increases in educational programs, technology and support services mean local districts will need to increase payments to the vo-tech.

Districts will pay $2.83 million to the vo-tech, under the proposed budget, a 4.6 percent increase. The amount a district pays to the vo-tech is determined by enrollment and property values.

Seneca Valley's estimated payment increases 15.1 percent, the largest of any district. The payments from Karns City and South Butler are expected to decrease.

Salaries remain the largest expense in the proposed budget. Salaries increase $44,000 in the next year and now cost the school $1.84 million. Salaries and employee benefits make up more than 71 percent of the total budget.

This month and next, Cunningham will present the budget to school boards in the county before the 63 school board members vote.

Ballot votes on the budget will be opened at the April 6 Joint Operating Committee meeting.

Seven districts in the county send students to the Butler County Vocational-Technical School and make payments to support it. Payments include money to repay a loan used for a heating system. Here is a list of the districts and their estimated payments for the 2006-07 school year as well as the percent increase or decrease from the current budget.Butler: $1.16 million; up 1.7 percentKarns City: $281,717; down 1.2 percentMars: $156,087; up 12.9 percentMoniteau: $304,574; up 7.3 percentSeneca Valley: $364,994; up 15.1 percentSlippery Rock: $240,136; up 9.9 percentSouth Butler: $331,755; down 3.8 percent