Manager proposes 8 percent cut to schools
The state increased school funding for next year, and now it seems everybody wants to get their hands on it—everybody, that is, except for the children. Tonight in his budget proposal, the city manager recommended a $1.6 million cut in the city’s contribution to its schools. The school department based its budget on the city maintaining its contribution from last year, which was $21 million and represented 16% of the total school budget (state funding was $111 million last year). If the council approves the manager’s suggestion, the city will be decreasing its contribution to the schools by 8 percent. Cuts of this magnitude will not be absorbed easily and will require layoffs as well as severely hindering the district’s progress to improve the quality of education for the 14,000 children attending our public schools.
During his address to the council tonight, Manager Lynch made a point of stating that his proposed budget will only require a 2.5% increase in taxes, while over the last five years, the taxes have increased about 6% annually. According to Lynch, his budget will cost taxpayers about $60 per homeowner. In addition, he said his budget will result in only about 11 layoffs for the city as well as some re-organizational changes. But why such a deep cut to the city’s already small portion of aid to its schools? (I haven’t seen the budget yet—it will be on the city’s website in the morning—but I bet other departments will not be cut 8%.) Look at funding history: As mentioned, the proposed school budget is based on the city contributing the same amount as last year: $21 million. Contrast that to the city’s contribution to its schools in 1992: $25.5 million—nearly five million dollars more—15 years ago! In 2002 and 2003, the city made its lowest contribution to the schools in over a decade: $12.7 million each year; and the schools still have not recovered from those cuts. (The state covered 90% of the costs for educating our children during those two years.) It is true that the state increased our chapter 70 allocation for schools by $4.8 million, making this year’s state contribution about $115 million, but $3.2 million of those funds went directly to pay for fixed cost increases such as health insurance ($1.9 million), electricity ($690k), gas/oil ($340k) and special education tuition ($237k). In addition, the proposed school budget had to fund step changes, sick leave buyback, as well as anticipated salary adjustments. (This year’s budget, like last year’s, includes a one percent wage adjustment—which has not been spent yet because union contracts haven’t been settled.) The proposed budget also includes a series of trade-offs in staffing that allow the district to focus on priority concerns without increasing costs. The budget also includes funding to improve alternative programs and science labs, as well as purchase books and proven-successful computer programs to help struggling readers. The school department has put together a responsible budget built on the state’s commitment to try to adequately fund the education of our children. The city should fulfill its commitment to that same worthy cause and meet its minimal and fair share of the costs.