Superintendent's Draft Budget Eliminates 31.5 Staff Positions

Superintendent Rick Simon shared his draft of the 2011/12 budget Tuesday night with the Board of Education, teachers and residents who were in attendance at .

Simon proposed a draft budget of $108.6 million, which would be about $4.1 million more than the current budget, but $2.3 million less than a potential rollover budget of $110.9 million.

Factoring in the heavy increase in expenses (i.e. health care, retirement for employees) and the fact that income is down (i.e. state aid reductions), Simon's plan calls for limiting as many expenses as possible. 

To achieve his draft number, Simon would reduce spending in the following areas:

• Administration funding would be cut $581,000.   This would include the restructuring of the district administration, public relation services and high school administration.

• Instruction would be cut $1.46 million.  This would include the lay-off of four elementary school teachers, the restructuring of elementary librarian positions, sixth grade programs, special education programs and alternative high school programs.  *Note:  Specific programs weren't mentioned.
• $342,000 in cuts would come from other areas.  Simon proposed eliminating summer school ($90k), reductions in athletic equipment ($80k), reductions in middle and high school clubs ($20-25k), and the restructuring of custodial, clerical and after school supervision positions. 

• *Summary of Staff Reductions 3.5 administrative positions 20 teaching/specialist positions 8 support staff positions 31.5 TOTAL POSITIONS

Simon maintained the notion that the rollover budget of $110.9 million would spike taxes to0 high (an additional $968 addition for the year) for homeowners and is unrealistic. 

"I look at tonight as the next step in a year-long process of balancing our new budget," he said.  "We need to look for additional reductions so we can reduce the tax levy residents have to live with."

Simon said to achieve a 6.7 percent tax increase (which was the increase for the 2010/11 budget), the district would need to reduce the expenses of the drafted budget by $2.5 million.  To get a five percent tax increase, they would need to cut it by $3.5 million.

*Comparing Budgets:

2011/12 Rollover

Budget

Increases

Tax Rate

Increase

*2011/12 Draft Expense Budget vs Current Budget Expenses:

*2011/12 Draft Income vs. Current Budget Income:

* Indicates information derived from Simon's PowerPoint presentation slides

The next budget meeting is scheduled for March 17 at 8 p.m. and will focus on the special education budget.