Budget expected to remain consistent with last year’s, according to superintendent
NORWICH – Budget talks will begin in earnest now that the Norwich City School District’s Board of Education has wrapped-up an 11-part review on the process, which concluded with a brief presentation on the district’s professional development, BOCES services and library, audio-video and instructional technology.
Since September, board members have gained insight into the budget process, thanks to a series of informational presentations by Deputy Superintendent Rob Wightman, covering each and every aspect of the school’s spending plan.
And while no official numbers in regards to the 2012-2013 budget – or any possible increases to the tax levy – are available as of yet, Superintendent Gerard O’Sullivan said the district is working hard to keep its financial standing stable and steady looking ahead. The most important thing, he stressed, is providing a “high quality of education” for all students and maintaining instructional integrity while remaining “fiscally responsible.”
According to the superintendent, the 2012-2013 budget will look fairly similar to last year’s, which topped-out at approximately $38 million. He added he expects “no surprises” and “no big changes” moving forward. Last year, taxpayers saw a 1.87 percent tax levy increase, following two straight years of no increases, in part due to the district applying its fund balance to offset a tax jump, said O’Sullivan.
The district is, however, under pressure to maintain a balance between program integrity while managing its expenses. Financially speaking, programming, expense increases and the tax impact are all inter-related, said the superintendent, who added the district has to “find the right balance.”
Mandated benefit increases, along with rising health insurance and pension costs, are playing a huge role in regards to the budget, added O’Sullivan. In 2002-2003, the district paid out approximately $170,000 in mandated Teacher Retirement System funds. Last year, it paid more than $1.2 million. Employee Retirement System payments, approximately $25,000 in 2002-2003, are pushing $500,000 now, reported the superintendent, while health insurance costs have also risen dramatically, from $2 million ten years ago to more than $5 million in 2011-2012, with over $1 million in growth over the last two years alone.
The overall numbers will remain fairly consistant, however, said O’Sullivan, with a 1 percent decrease in state aid (69 to 68 percent of the total budget); the loss of federal aid, which accounted for 3 percent of the budget last year; and 32 percent of the budget maintained through district taxes, up 4 percent from 2011-2012.
Putting together a fair and balanced budget in these difficult economic times, added the superintendent, requires “a lot of hard work,” although he said he’s pleased, so far, with the results.
The school board will next meet at 6:30 p.m. March 26 in the district office conference room, 89 Midland Drive.
Since September, board members have gained insight into the budget process, thanks to a series of informational presentations by Deputy Superintendent Rob Wightman, covering each and every aspect of the school’s spending plan.
And while no official numbers in regards to the 2012-2013 budget – or any possible increases to the tax levy – are available as of yet, Superintendent Gerard O’Sullivan said the district is working hard to keep its financial standing stable and steady looking ahead. The most important thing, he stressed, is providing a “high quality of education” for all students and maintaining instructional integrity while remaining “fiscally responsible.”
According to the superintendent, the 2012-2013 budget will look fairly similar to last year’s, which topped-out at approximately $38 million. He added he expects “no surprises” and “no big changes” moving forward. Last year, taxpayers saw a 1.87 percent tax levy increase, following two straight years of no increases, in part due to the district applying its fund balance to offset a tax jump, said O’Sullivan.
The district is, however, under pressure to maintain a balance between program integrity while managing its expenses. Financially speaking, programming, expense increases and the tax impact are all inter-related, said the superintendent, who added the district has to “find the right balance.”
Mandated benefit increases, along with rising health insurance and pension costs, are playing a huge role in regards to the budget, added O’Sullivan. In 2002-2003, the district paid out approximately $170,000 in mandated Teacher Retirement System funds. Last year, it paid more than $1.2 million. Employee Retirement System payments, approximately $25,000 in 2002-2003, are pushing $500,000 now, reported the superintendent, while health insurance costs have also risen dramatically, from $2 million ten years ago to more than $5 million in 2011-2012, with over $1 million in growth over the last two years alone.
The overall numbers will remain fairly consistant, however, said O’Sullivan, with a 1 percent decrease in state aid (69 to 68 percent of the total budget); the loss of federal aid, which accounted for 3 percent of the budget last year; and 32 percent of the budget maintained through district taxes, up 4 percent from 2011-2012.
Putting together a fair and balanced budget in these difficult economic times, added the superintendent, requires “a lot of hard work,” although he said he’s pleased, so far, with the results.
The school board will next meet at 6:30 p.m. March 26 in the district office conference room, 89 Midland Drive.
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