One of the main topics of last Monday's Board of Ed meeting was the beginning of the process to develop the 2009-2010 budget. The calendar for creating the budget begins now, with our estimated enrollment officially just over 5,700 students. Throughout November, principals (and other managers for lack of a better word) will work on projections and create preliminary budget requests. Those requests/plans will be reviewed with staff at the Ed Center. In December and January, Dr. Fishbein and staff will create a recommended budget, and then the Board will discuss the proposed budget at meetings in February. Public hearings on the final budget will be in March, but if you want to comment at the public Board meetings in February, I'm always a fan of "the earlier the better."
But let's never mind the schedule for a moment. The real news is this: we are looking at an estimated budget shortfall of $1.9 million. How does that happen? It's painfully simple: On the expense side, take all the costs that we know will be rising and which we cannot change (mainly salaries, benefits, transportation). On the income side, assume money from the state will be flat (no increase), and then assume we increase our revenue from taxes at 4% (the maximum allowed by law). Right there, we're $1.9 million in the negative. Our costs are increasing at a rate higher than we can increase our revenue.
Monday night, Dr. Fishbein said, "As always, we'll try to keep cuts away from students, but this much money is going to come really close to, if not into, cutting programs."
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5 comments:
What about reducing the security presence at the High School?
What is the negotiated salary increase for the faculty for next year?
Thanks
Do you mean reduce security in order to save money? That's definitely one of the things we can and should look at, although I also hear from parents who fear that the school is not secure enough. I think this budget is going to require us to look at pretty much everything as a potential for cuts.
I want to get the total "package" details on the teachers' contract in order to answer your second question in a complete manner. I apologize that it's not at my fingertips (that all happened within my first month on the Board and my filing system wasn't as organized as it is now)...I'll get you the details ASAP.
How about cutting all the added educrats. Cut staff that do not teach.
This place is bloated with aids and administrators.
We are not an employment office as some in education believe.
I think I know what you mean by "educrats" but I certainly would not include aides in that group. Aides are not administrators. The vast vast majority of aides are in place because we MUST provide them for a student with an IEP. If the IEP says they need an aide for all or part of the day, then they get an aide. There is no option. It's the law in terms of special ed. A lot of work goes in to managing and scheduling those aides so that we get the most "bang for our buck."
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