Meeting begins at 8:15 in the Academic Commons at Greeley
UPDATE: December 15, 2009
by Christine Yeres
Over the weekend, NewCastleNOW.org spoke with Board of Education President Jeffrey Mester about tonight’s budget presentation and the first of the board’s 2010-2011 budget discussions. Mester assigned approximate times for the main agenda items, stating that immediately following a brief presentation at 8:15 p.m. by Seven Bridges’ “Kids against Pollution” club members, the board would reveal the results of the two focus groups conducted last week. Two groups of residents were queried on how the board can engage residents in helping to craft a budget for a year in which state monies will likely be less and local school expenses greater.
Mester estimated that the main presenetation, Superintendent David Fleishman’s overview of the budget process, should begin around 8:45 or 9:00 p.m. After each of the presentations—focus group results and budget overview—the board will invite public questions and comments pertaining to each.
How the budget process worked last year
In reviewing last year’s process, Mester emphasized the importance of distinguishing between a zero budget increase and a zero tax increase. According to Mester, the board doesn’t begin with a preconceived notion of what any budget or tax increase should be. The budget remains a work in progress for several months. He described the board’s first step last year as a request to Fleishman to show board members “what a zero budget increase would look like.” The board looked at budget increases first, then afterwards determined the tax increase. “As it turns out,” Mester told NCNOW, “a zero budget increase would have produced a small tax increase. Only after we agreed on the shape of the budget did we work to determine we could use certain reserves to apply against raising taxes.” Last year, the board eventually proposed a zero tax increase that was approved by 82% of voters.
This year’s first budget meeting
Tuesday night’s initial budget meeting includes an estimate by Fleishman and Assistant Superintendent of Business John Chow of the cost of maintaining the current year’s the programs, as well as guidance for Fleishman from the board in two areas: possible changes to the academic program based on purely academic grounds, and what portion of the reserves to consider using in order to lower the budget and the tax levy.
As the community learned in last year’s budget process, around 75% of the $107 million school district budget goes to staff salaries and benefits, and are fixed. Variables, however, include course offerings, class size, and spending on extracurricular activities. This year Mester anticipates hard choices will have to be made, since state aid will likely decrease and expenses will likely increase.
“We want the community’s input as to whether we make cuts or raise taxes or a combination of both,” Mester wrote in response to questions from NCNOW. Mester went on to explain, “If we make cuts, what do we cut? If we raise taxes to preserve programs, how much is acceptable? It was clear by the 82% approval [by voters] last year we came up with the appropriate combination. This year, the choices are more stark.”
To see the board’s email blast reminder of its Tuesday, December 14 budget meeting in the Academic Commons of HGHS at 8:15 p.m., click HERE. To write the board, email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
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