No tax hike is expected for the Vicksburg Warren School District despite a drop in revenue and higher expenses, members of the Board of Trustees were told at a budget hearing Thursday evening.

The district is expected to use its reserves to cover a $7.9 million deficit in the proposed $84,835,040 budget for the 2012-13 school year.

Finance director Dale McClung projected revenues of $76,878,022, but estimates the district will begin the fiscal year July 1 with nearly $11 million in reserve.

Trustees will vote on the proposed budget at their regular business meeting Thursday night at 5:30.

Total revenues, made up of the schools’ share of local property taxes, state and federal aid and income from 16th Section land, are expected to decline more than $2 million, about 2.7 percent, from the fiscal year that will end June 30.

“Most of that is due to less federal money,” said McClung. “There is no more ARRA money,” a reference to funds shelled out through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which poured millions into local schools, agencies and infrastructure to stimulate the economy.

The state’s contribution, MAEP, or funding through the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, is forecast at $35.8 million, 11 percent or $4.2 million off what would be received if the Legislature fully funded it, McClung said.

“It would be nice to have those funds,” he said.

Expenditures will jump about 2.4 percent, or nearly $2 million from the $82.9 budgeted in 2011-12.

Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Swinford said part of the increase, about $1.2 million, is needed to purchase new reading, language arts and English textbooks for all grade levels.

In addition, Swinford said she wants to “beef up security” at the secondary schools in the wake of increased suspensions and behavior problems that have been a concern to school and city officials and parents.

She is proposing the addition of five school resource officers — one at each junior high school, one at Grove Street School, and two additional for the high schools.

Currently Vicksburg High School and Warren Central High School each have one SRO — a law enforcement officer licensed to carry a weapon. The junior highs share an SRO through a grant that is expiring, she said.

Each new SRO position will cost about $36,000 in salary plus about 31 percent in benefits, a total of about $235,800.

Swinford also proposes adding a social worker and behavior intervention specialist to be assigned full time to Grove Street. Those positions would cost about $118,000 in salaries and benefits.

The proposed budget funds a total of 1,270 employees — 680 licensed and 590 non-licensed. The 2011-12 budget funded 1,278 employees, 669 certified or licensed and 609 non-licensed.

Salaries and benefits amount to 73 percent of expenses, up from about 72 percent this year, with 9.5 percent going for utilities, building expenses and purchased services, 8 percent for supplies and the remainder for professional services, equipment, renovations and other expenses.

District 1 Trustee Sally Bullard was the only one of the board’s five members not in attendance. Two members of the public attended, and no questions or comments were made.