BUTLER TWP — The 2012-13 budget for the Butler County Vocational-Technical School will go to member school boards for approval.

The vo-tech Joint Operating Committee on Thursday approved the $4.3 million budget, which is up 2.5 percent from this year.

At least five of the seven member school boards must approve the budget, along with a majority of individual board members. The seven districts, whose students attend the vo-tech, are Butler, Karns City, Mars, Moniteau, Seneca Valley, Slippery Rock and South Butler.

“I think this is about as bare bones as I can get this budget,” Joe Cunningham, director, told the committee.

While the proposed 2012-13 budget is up, the amount that school districts would pay is down, even though some districts would pay more than they did last year and others would pay less.

Cunningham credited Gov. Tom Corbett’s budget, which increased funding 1.5 percent for career and technical education, for the decrease in the districts’ overall costs.

As a group, the share that each district would pay is slightly less than last year, down to $3.13 million, or 1.24 percent less. But Seneca Valley’s and Slippery Rock’s shares would each increase about $20,000, and Butler’s would go up $2,431.

Here’s what each district would pay under the proposed budget: Butler, $1.27 million; Karns City, $285,520; Mars, $153,132; Moniteau, $285,971; Seneca Valley, $432,968; Slippery Rock, $321,219; and South Butler, $376,738

The payments reflect a funding formula which includes the number of students from each district who attend the vo-tech, the assessed value of real estate in each district and the number of juniors and seniors in each district.

In February, the committee rejected the first budget proposal and asked for adjustments in the 22-member bargaining unit’s contract, part of the school’s 45 employees.

Although the bargaining unit’s response was not made public, it “disappointed,” said James Nickel of Seneca Valley.

“I thought it (the committee’s request) made some sense,” Nickel said. “A sense of partnership.”

Employee salaries and benefits are the only budget expenditures that would rise, by $89,000 and $134,000 respectively.

Employees pay $45 monthly for health care, regardless of the number of persons covered, committee members said. In addition, salary adjustments are made each May, and must be approved by the committee.

Nickel asked that Cunningham consider furloughs where appropriate.

Cunningham said it is too early in the year to furlough teachers for next year, but that he would review enrollments in June and July.