The Mt. Hood Community College District budget committee unanimously approved a 2005-06 general fund budget of $48.66 million Wednesday.

The budget is 2.1 percent smaller than this year’s $48.765 million budget and is still a work in progress, according to MHCC President Robert Silverman, due to uncertainty surrounding state funding. The amount the state will allocate for community colleges will not be finalized until June.

Silverman said, “We don’t know what we are getting from the state. This budget proposal was built on $406 million (in state funding to all community colleges) but that went to $416 million just last week. We have heard estimates from $444 million --— we were lobbying for $440 million -— all the way down to $388 million from the governor."

Any money received from the state above the current numbers will be used to supplement the college’s dwindling reserves. Currently the college has a two percent contingency fund. The Mt. Hood Community College District financial objectives set five percent as the target for reserves.

Cheif Operating Officer, Gary Murph, said this budget is a “worst case scenario.” He said $428 million from the state to community colleges would allow them to reach the goal of a five percent reserve.

Amid funding uncertainty, the board has kept their word on not raising tuition, freezing it for the 2005-06 school year. Brian Freeman, district board and budget committee chair said they kept the “student’s interests foremost in mind” while deliberating the budget.

The difference between the current budget and the proposed budget is $104,000. “The numbers may seem close,” said Murph. “But there have been a variety of savings and changes to get there.”