B-G faces biggest school cut of all
BAINBRIDGE – All school districts across the state are being hit hard by this year’s state budget cuts, but for Bainbridge-Guilford the impact will be staggering.
“Under the governor’s proposal, we presently have a reduction of approximately $845,000 for 2010-11,” reported Superintendent Karl Brown.
The reduction – which is the equivalent of 5 percent of the district’s $16,768,639 budget for the current year – is even worse than school leaders had originally believed. According to Brown, the first figures they received seemed to indicate the school would lose $555,309, a 5.64 percent decrease in total aid for the rural district. But even then, he had concerns about how that reduction was calculated.
“We called State Ed ... to get the answer,” the superintendent said, which is when they learned they would be losing close to $300,000 more than they expected.
Between contractual obligations, retirement contributions, health insurance and other “known expenses,” the district’s preliminary budget for 2010-11 represented a 2 percent increase in spending over the current year.
“In typical years this would be seen as very responsible and conservative,” Brown explained. “However, with the proposed cuts in aid revenue, that would represent a significant increase in the tax levy.”
As the district raises roughly $50,000 with each 1 percent increase in the levy, B-G residents would have to shoulder a 20 percent increase if the full impact of the cuts were passed directly to taxpayers. This isn’t something Brown and his fellow school leaders are considering, however.
“We’re not even discussing it,” he said. “It can’t happen.”
While a particular target has not been set by the school board, the superintendent said both the board and the administration “have a very conservative expectation this year.”
That means the district’s Budget Advisory Committee has its work cut out for them. Since January, the group – which this year is comprised of 11 community members, students, faculty, staff, administrators and board members – has been analyzing the budget line-by-line. They will continue to do so into April, Brown said, at which time they will recommend a budget proposal to the board of education.
According to the superintendent, the involvement of representatives from different stakeholder groups is an integral part of B-G’s budget process.
“Questions are posed, suggestions are made and changes often result,” he reported.
One of the things the committee’s volunteers learn early on, according to the superintendent, is that “there isn’t as much flexibility as you might expect” due to the mandates with each all districts must comply.
“Every cut creates a ripple effect so it is not simply a question of dollars cut, but also one of maintaining necessary programs,” he explained, which is why each budget line must be carefully vetted.
Further complicating the process is that B-G is currently in contract negotiations with its teacher’s union. Until an agreement is reached, school leaders must work without “firm” payroll and benefit figures for the district’s professional staff members.
“It makes it that much more difficult,” Brown said.
According to the superintendent, the district is still examining all of its options.
“We’re just looking at everything right now,” he said, explaining his inability to discuss areas which “have or have not” been identified for possible cuts.
He did state, however, that summer programming was one area which would likely be affected, as much because of the building project which will commence this summer as for financial reasons. He also said that B-G would continue to investigate opportunities to share services and to reduce energy costs.
They will also be looking at staffing levels.
“Across the BOCES District there will be staffing cuts considered because it is difficult to make up this sizable loss in aid revenue without doing so,” Brown said. His plan, he explained, is to consider first those positions which will be vacated by retirement and attrition. Class sizes will also be taken into consideration.
The superintendent is also looking to avoid making cuts which are short-sighted.
Given the state’s precarious fiscal situation, and the fact that New York’s schools will be faced with another funding cliff when federal stimulus money is exhausted next year, it is even more important that school leaders take a “longer range look” at the district’s needs, he said.
“Under the governor’s proposal, we presently have a reduction of approximately $845,000 for 2010-11,” reported Superintendent Karl Brown.
The reduction – which is the equivalent of 5 percent of the district’s $16,768,639 budget for the current year – is even worse than school leaders had originally believed. According to Brown, the first figures they received seemed to indicate the school would lose $555,309, a 5.64 percent decrease in total aid for the rural district. But even then, he had concerns about how that reduction was calculated.
“We called State Ed ... to get the answer,” the superintendent said, which is when they learned they would be losing close to $300,000 more than they expected.
Between contractual obligations, retirement contributions, health insurance and other “known expenses,” the district’s preliminary budget for 2010-11 represented a 2 percent increase in spending over the current year.
“In typical years this would be seen as very responsible and conservative,” Brown explained. “However, with the proposed cuts in aid revenue, that would represent a significant increase in the tax levy.”
As the district raises roughly $50,000 with each 1 percent increase in the levy, B-G residents would have to shoulder a 20 percent increase if the full impact of the cuts were passed directly to taxpayers. This isn’t something Brown and his fellow school leaders are considering, however.
“We’re not even discussing it,” he said. “It can’t happen.”
While a particular target has not been set by the school board, the superintendent said both the board and the administration “have a very conservative expectation this year.”
That means the district’s Budget Advisory Committee has its work cut out for them. Since January, the group – which this year is comprised of 11 community members, students, faculty, staff, administrators and board members – has been analyzing the budget line-by-line. They will continue to do so into April, Brown said, at which time they will recommend a budget proposal to the board of education.
According to the superintendent, the involvement of representatives from different stakeholder groups is an integral part of B-G’s budget process.
“Questions are posed, suggestions are made and changes often result,” he reported.
One of the things the committee’s volunteers learn early on, according to the superintendent, is that “there isn’t as much flexibility as you might expect” due to the mandates with each all districts must comply.
“Every cut creates a ripple effect so it is not simply a question of dollars cut, but also one of maintaining necessary programs,” he explained, which is why each budget line must be carefully vetted.
Further complicating the process is that B-G is currently in contract negotiations with its teacher’s union. Until an agreement is reached, school leaders must work without “firm” payroll and benefit figures for the district’s professional staff members.
“It makes it that much more difficult,” Brown said.
According to the superintendent, the district is still examining all of its options.
“We’re just looking at everything right now,” he said, explaining his inability to discuss areas which “have or have not” been identified for possible cuts.
He did state, however, that summer programming was one area which would likely be affected, as much because of the building project which will commence this summer as for financial reasons. He also said that B-G would continue to investigate opportunities to share services and to reduce energy costs.
They will also be looking at staffing levels.
“Across the BOCES District there will be staffing cuts considered because it is difficult to make up this sizable loss in aid revenue without doing so,” Brown said. His plan, he explained, is to consider first those positions which will be vacated by retirement and attrition. Class sizes will also be taken into consideration.
The superintendent is also looking to avoid making cuts which are short-sighted.
Given the state’s precarious fiscal situation, and the fact that New York’s schools will be faced with another funding cliff when federal stimulus money is exhausted next year, it is even more important that school leaders take a “longer range look” at the district’s needs, he said.
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