A projected $13.4 million budget shortfall will likely affect Richmond County school employees, but exactly how isn't known yet, school board members were told Thursday night.

The preliminary budget deficit was presented to board members with no decisions being made as to how best to handle the situation.

"To get this kind of money, we're going to look at personnel," Superintendent Dana Bedden said after the meeting, but he declined to speculate what that could mean. The school system has nearly 5,000 employees, who account for nearly 90 percent of the budget.

Controller Gene Spires said afterward that the purchase of computers and supplies might be delayed, but these items only account for a small fraction of the budget.

"It's got to affect employees one way or another," Mr. Spires said.

For the coming fiscal year, the state has preliminarily approved a 2.5 percent pay raise for school employees statewide and $1.6 million to cover raises in Richmond County. The cost of the raises, though, is going to be about $8.1 million in Richmond County, Mr. Spires told board members.

In addition, Richmond County continues to lose students and as a result is projected to lose $2.3 million in state funding for the next school year, he said.

The city is projecting a 6 percent growth in its tax digest, but that additional tax revenue won't be enough to offset the budget shortfall, Mr. Spires said.

Richmond County has received class size waivers the past two years, but Dr. Bedden said the state indicated it wouldn't grant an increase in them this year. The waivers were used a year ago as one way to cut finances by not hiring as many teachers.

"There's not enough revenue to fill our needs," Mr. Spires said. "We've already made cuts, and we're looking to make some more."

This year's budget crunch comes on top of last year's $18 million shortfall.