The town council is planning to draft its version of the budget for March 9, followed by a combined passage of the board’s and town’s budget on April 27. In the meantime, budget wrangling has begun in earnest.
From West Hartford News
After a zero percent increase to the Board of Education’s budget last year, rising medical liabilities and pension costs for retired employees are the major driving factors for a proposed budget that contains a $5.31 million increase for the 2010-11 school year.West Hartford School Superintendent, Dr. List, claims this is a budget that maintains the "core" and preserves services that are seen as important ... like full-day kindergarten, small class size, and solid arts and physical education programs.
The budget’s 4.37 percent increase is what Superintendent Karen List proposed to the Board of Education on March 2. The total budget proposal is $126.7 million.
Over $1.6 million has been slashed from the budget to keep from a roll-forward budget increase of 5.72 percent. Under List’s proposed budget, which is currently under review by the board, 27 positions are projected to be dropped next year. Eleven of the cuts to full-time employees will come at the hands of the school board eliminating the World Language Program at 10 out of 11 of the town’s elementary schools. The program began during the 2000-01 school year and will still remain at the Charter Oak International Academy.
The board is also eliminating two administrative and two non-instructional positions while consolidating its AIMS program — a program for non-special education students who need a smaller and more focused setting -- to Sedgwick Middle School.
Reductions to the budget also include putting on freeze on school supplies, saving a projected $141,000.
The school system is receiving federal stimulus money through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to the tune of $3.791 million for the 2010-11 school year which is fine for us for now, but what will happen next budget cycle (2011-12 budget) when that money disappears? It doesn't look as if the Board of Education is living in reality if they aren't already preparing in this year's budget (2010-11) for that gaping hole by reducing expenditures even further. We could be looking at an enormous tax increase if these people don't get their arms around a true austerity budget this time around.
West Hartford taxpayers just might be getting their referendum petitions printed up already. In one of the worst economic periods, with a national unemployment rate* of 9.7% (February), and West Hartford's unemployment rate at about 7%, it is incredulous that the Board of Education would even consider increasing their budget and asking for more money from the Town Council. Where do they think West Hartford taxpayers will come up with this money? Especially in this economy? (* - Many claim this number to be very much under-stated as it does not include many others who are unemployed and not collecting benefits as well as those who are underemployed, the number could be more like 17%)
No one is looking to "gut the system", but when the federal government is broke and the state is broke, and the taxpayers are trying to figure out how to pay for their own home budgets, it is high time that the West Hartford Board of Education deal very very seriously with eliminating programs that are "nice to have" but not necessary, along with truly streamlining programs and reducing duplication of work.
The Town Council may have to be the adult in the room (again) and steadfastly decide to give this Board of Education exactly what they got last year - no more - no less, and if Dr. List is the superstar that everyone claims that she is, then she, with her Board of Education and her oft touted talented staff, will be able to make that number work.
6 WH Responses:
The BOE was given the same $$$ this year as last. They used the ARRA money to keep the budget at their desired spending levels.
That would be well and good if the year was used to be proactive and get into the budget and regain control of it.
Instead, they kept this year going without change and made no preperation for the coming year. They figure we're West Hartford. It doeen't matter to them that the State and Fed are broke and the taxpayers are tapped out, just keep doing the same old, same old.
Next year, if the Board follows its' normal pattern they will be facing close to a $10 million deficit - normal budget growth + replacing ARRA money. And don't forget, next year Teachers contract is back up for negotiation.
This is not a pretty picture.
The Mayor,Town Manager and Tax Payer's Association all want to avoid a referendum (along with the associated cost)but the BOE appears to be determined to drive us to one.
Welcome back TOWH.
It may surprise you to hear me say this but: Cynic's observations are spot on. His $10 million forecast may even be short, based on the fiscal condition of the State of Connecticut.
I offer this concordance in thinking ahead to next year, when the ARRA party (among other things) is over. The hole that's been dug was openly discussed by Board members and the public last spring (I was but one of many who spoke to it at a BoE meeting then). Here we are nearly one year down the road, and I haven't seen much public disclosure of analysis of the operational side of the WHPS, nor much measurement of the efficacy of existing educational programming.
To protect the quality broad-based system that education supporters like me want in WH (and in fact to provide us the capacity for legitimate expansion when needed to address growing challenges like the achievement gap), we need to dig deep into the budget and objectively and openly measure what we are doing, how we are doing it, and why we are doing it. And for each item deemed worthy of continuation, we also need to confirm that we are applying best practices and employing the best means to accomplish it.
In short, we need a paradigm shift in the way the WHPS conducts business. Everything needs to be under the microscope on a recurrent basis. As to the operational side, I am still not interested in a "forensic audit" but continue to call for those in authority to truly engage the public in a collaborative analysis.
Much appreciated comment John.. maybe this year you can design the official budget referendum T-shirt to replace the pro-budget yellow ones (Just Kidding)
But seriously, you are spot on!
The scariest part of the situation is that Dr. List and Ms. Kindal Esq. don't seem to want to face the realities of the situation. Based on the Town Hall Meet they do not appear to be open to suggestion.
Diane Mudge, John and others have made some excellent suggestions and they are just brushed off.
If the Board follows its' annual budget rites, the next phase will be to present 3 plans for cuts to scare and enrage parents once again. Each plan showing more cuts deeper into classes. Quest, All Day Kindergarden, etc etc etc the same old crap we've seen before. The dog and pony show is becoming tiresome.
Anything but taking a responsible look at the budget.
BTW, if you include the ARRA money and Grant money the real budget comes out at closer to $137 million. We also have no idea how much comes in from gate receipts or the PTOs. Hall just installed flat panels in the hallways, there is no indication in the budget where this money came from.
In the past, you would have thought you were hallucinating if you thought John and I agreed on a budget question.
We are both on the same page here and I think we both want to prevent the need for the Board to have to do a slash and burn budget, which is where they are heading if they don't get a better handle on things.
This week the Board will present its' workshops. If they run true to form, these workshops will be to do nothing more than explain why they need all they have requested. Ideas from those presen will be ignored. John Hardy, Diane Mudge have been through this cycle and know the frustration 1st hand.
Hall High put in Flat Panel Monitors in the hallways, so far there has been no answer as to how it was funded. There is no accounting for Gate money or PTO money.
We are spending a fortune on the District Improvement Plan but there has been no report on how it is impacting the academics and the acheivement gap. The only reports we have had that included information from the DIP were the racial makeup of Sports teams/clubs and school security. These were not part of the original reason for implimenting this plan.
Sounds like the Budget Workshop was loads of fun tonight.
No intrest in listeningto Diane, Lib or John, only want vindication and approval for their spending.
Why am I not surprised?
It's starting to feel like it's going to be a nasty spring.
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