BUTLERTWP— The Butler County Community College directors Wednesday approved a $23.7 million budget, which factors in $39,000 less from the state.

The total budget is up 2.23 percent from the 2005-06 budget year.

The college also expects to see an increase of about $715,000 from students, in part from a $3 per credit tuition increase approved in May.

The costs for utilities and insurance is expected to increase more than 10 percent to $1.12 million.

Jake Friel, controller, said the cost of liability insurance fell, but natural gas, oil and gas, along with telephone bills, increased.

Salaries and benefits, which make up 69 percent of the total expenses, will also increase nearly 9 percent to $16.4 million.

Offsetting the increases in spending are the tuition increase and the doubling of interest on investments of this budget. The college also plans to spend less on furniture and equipment.

The budget factors in steady funding from the county. The county now contributes about 19 percent of the revenue to the college, or $4.4 million. The state's share has decreased to 38 percent, or $9 million, and the students make up all but a fraction of the remaining revenue.

Ideally, community colleges should receive equal funding from the state, students and local sponsor. BC3's local sponsor is the county.

Spending and revenues in other areas remain about the same.

The board may reopen the budget after the state passes its budget.

Friel said if the state numbers drastically increase, it may be necessary to revisit the budget.

Until recently, the state passed its budget by July 1, he said.

"Now they let that come and go,"Friel said. The college must have a budget in place by June 30.

Cynthia Azari, president of the college, said

the college and the BC3 Education Foundation may also approve a formal agreement outlining the relationship between the college and the nonprofit.The foundation is a charitable organization that provides scholarships and supplements the income of the Succop Conservancy.