Faced with a projected $29 million decrease in revenues for the 2009-10 school year, area school districts are foregoing talk of belt-tightening in favor of crash dieting.
With the adjustment in state school aid recently proposed by Gov. David Paterson to help close the state's budget gap, there will be more than $13 million lost by Chautauqua County which, combined with decreasing federal stimulus aid, totals a $29 million hole in county school budgets. While there is still a chance for the state Legislature to add money back into Paterson's budget proposal, at least one area school board member doesn't see that happening.
Christine Schnars, Jamestown Public Schools board president, doesn't think money will be added back into the budget.
"We've known this was coming," she said. "We will need to use some of our fund balance, not all of it because that wouldn't be prudent - cut programs and cut expenses where we can and not raise taxes. It's going to be almost impossible (not to raise taxes) at this point. This time I think we're not going to see much of a change of what the governor purposes.''
TRIMMING STAFF
According to Albert D'Attilio, Bemus Point school superintendent, because of declining enrollment, his district has been to make some cuts to its staff without sacrificing programs.
"In my opinion, we've done it right year after year," he said.
D'Attilio said the district's school board is at a ''wait-and-see'' status before it can finalize the district's budget. There is a chance the state Legislature will restore some of the lost state aid, and a growth in tax assessment in the district's tax base could also bring in additional revenue.
Bemus Point will also eliminate four positions by not filling jobs left open by retirements or long-term leave. Long-term substitute teachers are also being cut from the budget.
Daniel George, Southwestern Central School superintendent, said at a recent board meeting that "a large budget gap with the state aid cut of $1.3 million and an increase in costs to retirement premiums, health insurance, wages and debt service will result in the inevitable loss of staff."
"We haven't established which positions yet," George said. "However, the cuts will probably affect both teaching and non-teaching staff. At this point we do not have any retirements, therefore the cuts will not come through attrition."
Administrators are trying to put together their budgets with the anticipation of the governor's cuts.
"Our goal is to try to keep our expenditures as tight as we can," D'Attilio said.
Carol Hay, Panama school superintendent, projects the governor's proposed budget will put their district into a crisis situation.
"The projected Gap Elimination Assessment and the additional loss of revenue in categorical aids put our revenue loss at just about $750,000," she said. "The known increases in expenditures for next year, coupled with the reduction in revenue from the state will force the board of education to make cuts that will definitely change the educational programs in the district."
Ms. Hay said that the district has already made numerous cuts last year, including one administrative position, reducing some employees to part-time and not replacing some staff members who retired.
"We are operating with a bare bones staff this year, so additional cuts can only mean increased class sizes, fewer elective courses offered and a reduction in extra-curricular activities along with the usual cuts in materials and supplies, and putting off some maintenance projects and purchases," she said.
"I can't imagine any employee group that won't be affected," Kathman said, emphasizing that the legislature is key at this point. "The legislature is holding the future in their hands.''
Falconer Central will also feel the affects of the governor's cuts.
"We do have several retirements and will not be filling some of those positions," said Jane Fosberg, Falconer superintendent.
JPS DEALING WITH CUTS
Deke Kathman, Jamestown Public Schools superintendent, said there is an estimated "roll over" budget of $2.7 million for Jamestown Public Schools - which is the increase in the budget cost to run the program - and another $3.8 million in Gov. Paterson's executive budget proposal creating a net impact of $6.5 million for the district to make up somewhere. He said there are three options: draw from the district's fund balance, consider increasing taxes or make program and personnel cuts.
Dale Weatherlow, assistant superintendent for Jamestown Public Schools, recommends the district be as prudent as it can with its available fund balance next year. According to Kathman, $1,125,000 is available to be used to close the budget gap.
"That's a good thing," Kathman said. "It's a credit to Dale and the school board to have those funds to help solve this problem."
The board has given Kathman the task of presenting a first draft budget at the next school board meeting. He will point to fund balance use, recommendation of tax increase and will define the program and personnel cuts to make a balanced budget.
"My assignment is to come back to the next meeting with a plan," he said.
Kathman says that it is up to the legislators that represent the taxpayers at this point in hopes that they will be able to make adjustments to the governor's budget, but will they be able to help get the numbers to where they should be?
"They always have," Kathman said.
The question is can they help a little or can they help a lot, he said.
"We have to minimize the impact on the students," Kathman said. " That is the first filter I use in trying to figure out reductions."
Kathman prioritized minimizing the impact on students, maintaining their improvement agenda and trying hard to maintain the special programs that "make Jamestown special."