The Mercer County Career Center's budget for the 2003-04 school year is inching toward approval although one school board has rejected it and another tabled it for further discussion.

The budget increased 2.9 percent this year from $2,836,060 to $2,919,591 -- an $83,531 increase mostly for salaries and health care costs. Ten school districts in Mercer County form a joint operating committee that oversees the operation of the vocational school. Two-thirds, or six out of 10, of the participating school districts -- Commodore Perry, Greenville, Grove City, Hermitage, Jamestown, Lakeview, Mercer, Reynolds, Sharpsville and West Middlesex -- must approve the budget each April in order for it to pass. Five districts have already passed the budget, including Commodore Perry, Grove City, Hermitage, Lakeview and Sharpsville.

Jamestown school directors rejected the budget, on grounds that it needs more work. Reynolds school directors voted to table the issue until they could review it closer. West Middlesex school directors will vote Monday.

David Schaffer, Jamestown superintendent, said he understands trying to cut a budget back is a difficult thing to do, but the budget needs closer scrutiny. The manner in which it's calculated isn't fair, he said.

The payment structure for each school district is based on a formula established 10 years ago by the articles of agreement, which calculates payments on a three-year average of students attending.

Jamestown is paying tuition for 36 students, based on the last three audited years. Schaffer said the board could support the budget if the 2.9 percent increase was an increase in the cost per student. However, that's not the way in which the cost per pupil is calculated, he said.

When enrollment drops, the center loses tuition, which raises the cost of teaching an individual student. Instead of a 2.9 percent increase in tuition, it's 2.9 percent along with the readjusted rate based on total enrollment that makes up the difference, Schaffer said.

Rachel Martin, the career center's administrative director, said when districts cooperatively and consistently send students to the center, it decreases the cost per student for all the schools and offers career and technical education to more students.

When calculating the budget for the upcoming year, center staffers must use projections of revenue they sometimes don't see until as late as the end of next year. Because the center's budget must be developed early in order for school districts to develop their budgets, some costs are not easily projected, Mrs. Martin said.

"Unlike school districts, the career center cannot maintain a fund balance at the end of the year. Any balance remaining at the end of the school year is returned to the districts," Mrs. Martin said.

Schaffer said he doesn't want people to think that by not voting for the budget the Jamestown district doesn't support the career center.

"Because we do. We just see a concern with how the tuition is being calculated. We needed to draw attention to this, especially in a tight budget year," he said.

Reynolds Superintendent Anthony Trosan agreed. School directors voted to table the issue last week after Jeffrey A. Colson, board president, said he had some concerns with the budget and wasn't comfortable passing it.

"Reynolds is in a very difficult situation again this year with overall finances. All of the board members fell a responsibility for looking closely at all of our costs big and small when it comes time to approve a budget for anything," Trosan said, adding that if it's a fee that can be negotiated or adjusted it will be.

Sharon and Farrell school districts, which are not members of the joint operating committee, don't get a vote on the budget. The two districts pay tuition for the students they send.