Prince George, B.C. – The Prince George School Board unanimously gave third and final reading to its 2016-17 annual budget bylaw tonight.

In order to pass the roughly $148,000,000 budget, the Board had to use just over $423,000 of its surplus. That number was reduced by $622,655 today following news the provincial government was redirecting administrative savings back to districts across the province, including Prince George.

The first two readings of the bylaw were given at a public meeting two weeks ago. The deadline to pass the budget was June 30^th.

Though trustees welcomed the return of administrative savings, Trustee Brenda Hooker said it failed to address the Board’s “structural deficit.”

Trustee Trish Bella went a step further noting today’s announcement, after budget consultations have already taken place province-wide, “shows a lack of understanding of the budgeting process.”

Following final reading, the Board passed a motion, put forward by Trustee Tim Bennett, to write a letter to B.C.’s Minister of Education Mike Bernier.

It read: “That the board write a letter to the Minister of Education for acknowledging concerns expressed by provincial Boards of Education and rescinding the requirement of new administrative savings and ask that the remaining $727,000 of required administrative savings for the 2016/17 budget be returned.”