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Budget Outlook
Superintendent Presents
2009-2010 Budget Proposal
Superintendent Eric Ely presented what he calls a “Draconian”
budget proposal to the Board of Education Wednesday night, at
its regular meeting at Paige Elementary School. The $158-million
plan includes significant program and personnel cuts, plus a tax
levy increase of 10.2%. The proposed budget represents a 2.6%
increase in spending over the current year.
“As an educator, I am embarrassed to
have to present these Draconian cuts to
my board, my community and most
importantly, my students,” Ely said as
he outlined his proposed 2009-10
spending plan. “I’m literally begging
you not to adopt this budget,” he told
board members. “Find a way to keep these
programs.”
Proposed
spending reductions amount to $7.65 million.
Implementing all of the suggested cuts would leave the district
with a year-to-year spending increase of $4,016,476. The plan
assumes no use of the district’s fund balance to mitigate any
cuts, and it assumes the new state budget will be adopted as it
has been presented to the district.
Details of the
proposed cuts include:
•
5 Administrators
•
30 Paraprofessionals
•
4 Secretaries
•
14 Elementary Teaching Positions
•
20 Secondary Teaching Positions
•
Business Office Reorganization
•
Stimulus Supplant Allowance for IDEA
•
All district consultants
•
2 Middle School Dean Positions
•
1 Attendance Dean Position
•
Technology Position
•
4 School Climate Office Positions
•
Swimming Pool Operations
•
Elementary Foreign Language Program (not
Magnet)
•
High School Family and Consumer Science
Program
•
High School Business Program
•
District Strings Program
•
Elementary Library Program
•
Strategic Planning Initiatives
•
One-third of the Athletic Program,
including Modified Sports
•
Operations and Maintenance
Reduction
The board took no
immediate action on the budget proposal, but did request more
information from Superintendent Ely on using varying amounts of
fund balance to restore some of the cuts in the proposal.
However, the board noted some reluctance to use money from the
district’s fund balance this year, as next year’s budget picture
may be even worse.
Much frustration
was displayed by board members and concerned citizens who spoke
during the public comment period.
“We are in a
no-win situation,” said board president Jeff Janiszewski. New
York State-imposed rules under the Contract for Excellence (C4E)
strictly limit the district’s ability to fund other academic
programs and initiatives. While the state mandates the district
to continue all C4E initiatives at their current level, it does
not provide the funding necessary to keep the programs in place.
The district is then forced to use other funding to plug the gap
in these mandated C4E programs.
The federal
stimulus package is not as helpful as it could be, either.
Stimulus funds are coming to the district through the Title I
(populations with great need) and IDEA (special education)
areas. Inflexible spending rules for these stimulus funds leave
the district searching for new places to put stimulus
money—while forcing it to cut teachers and programs that can’t
be classified under either of those two areas.
Another caveat to
the federal stimulus money is that it only lasts for two years.
Superintendent Ely has noted that it would be irresponsible for
the district to hire new people using stimulus money, since
there’s no guarantee of additional funding for salaries and
other support after the two-year period is up.
Questions were
asked about a possible contingency budget, but this year’s
economic situation produces an unexpected contingency result: a
significantly higher tax levy rate than the proposed budget.
Schenectady’s contingency budget would total $165,525,451. It
would spend $7.5 million more than the current budget proposal
and would result in a 25.4% tax levy increase.
The board will
continue discussing the budget proposal at a special meeting on
Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. at Mont Pleasant Middle School. The text of
Superintendent Ely’s remarks to the board can be read
HERE.
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