Bay County residents will see a slight hike in millage for school funding this year, but it's not the fault of the school board.

The board approved Superintendent James McCalister's tentative budget Thursday for advertising purposes.

The total millage you'll be paying for education will rise by 0.292 percent. The state mandated an increase of 0.322 percent.

However, the district slightly lowered the two millages it controls. They lowered the discretionary millage by 0.017 percent and the capital outlay millage by 0.013 percent.

"What I'm telling you today, that that is less than we've ever had it and it's beyond what we've ever talked about. What we've talked about [is] it’s staying at one mill. But what is presented today is less than that," said McCalister.

The tentative budget will be advertised for a week.

Board members will hold a workshop and public hearing on July 31st.

The workshop begins at 3:00PM.

The first public hearing on the proposed millage levy and tentative budget will be at 5:01PM. The board can then make any changes it sees fit.