2012 Budget Battle Begins

In an all too familiar scenario, the County Commission and School Board appear to be at odds again.  Yes, it's budget time.  The School System says it needs $7 million MORE than it has in order to operate effectively in 2012-13.  The County Commission has generously offered an additional $400,000.  And thus, the fight begins. 

The County Commission's budget committee appears locked down against even a slight tax increase, despite efforts from Commissioner Shawn Utley to convince them otherwise. 

Absent new revenue from the County Commission, the School Board will have to come up with more than $6 million in cuts.  This in spite of the fact that the budget assumes the elimination of several school system staff positions and plans to offer stipends to existing teachers to cover new class needs rather than hiring new teachers.  This means teachers will be asked to give up their planning time to teach an extra class for about $2000 a year in extra cash.  While some may take the system up on the offer of being over-burdened and still underpaid, there's not much more the district can do to trim its budget. 

Last year, the County Commission told the School System to be more efficient.  To cut costs.  And the School Board listened and took action.  This year's budget proposal is a lean, efficient approach to running schools.  In some cases, it's not enough.  High school teachers may still be going without substitutes.  The stipend plan will likely mean students get more harried, less-focused teachers in some cases. 

But, it is also a serious attempt to do more with less.  The School Board is making an honest effort to maximize every dollar.  $6 million in cuts can only be achieved through more drastic measures.  Eliminating bookkeepers as was discussed last year, for example.  Not giving classified employees a raise -- in spite of the County employees getting a 2% raise.  Delaying the purchase of critical textbooks and/or technology investments. 

Those are the options on the table.  One wonders if the community is by now weary of the annual budget battle.  Despairing of a solution and accepting the fact that the current situation won't change until there's a new crop of County Commissioners. 

In any case, the lines are being drawn.  Another August or late September showdown seems possible.