Budget proposals

A couple weeks ago the superintendent presented to the board and the community the proposals to meet the $1 million shortfall in our general fund for this year. Here's the full proposal, and I encourage any reader to take a close look. Print it out, highlight it, add question marks, add and subtract some numbers, and let me know what you think

Here are some highlights:

• The state is sending us about $1 million less than they promised for 2010, and those are general fund dollars. We spend 90% of our general fund on salaries, wages, and benefits.
• During 2009 and 2010, LCSC cut more than $650,000 from general fund expenses, anticipating this move by the state.
• If we don't make any adjustments, a general fund shortfall of $1.2-1.4 million is predicted in each of the next three years.

So the proposal is to reduce in four different ways:

• Reduce expenditures for utilities, postage, supplies, professional development, summer school, and participation in the J. Everett Light vocational programs, for a total reduction of about $280,500
• Reduce personnel expenditures through cuts to administrative compensation and some position eliminations in certified, classified, and extracurricular areas (see the full document via the link above for a list of specific positions)
• Spend down our cash balance by $800K this year, $400K in 2011 and $500K in 2012. Even with the cuts we're making, we'll be deficit spending and can use the cash balance for this purpose. Hopefully by the end of 2012 the economy and state revenues will be back to healthy levels, and school funding along with them.
• Transfer of funds. The legislature voted to allow a transfer to the general fund from other funds in the corporation. The amount permitted for Lebanon is about $125,000, and this transfer cannot happen until July 1.

Here's some of what is still intact if the proposed cuts take effect:

• free full-day kindergarten across the LCSC (which is only partly funded by the state, with local money making up the difference)
• all LMS and LHS sports (although some assistant coaching positions are on the list of cuts)
• families will not pay for participation in sports or extracurricular activities ("pay to play")
• band and arts programs at LMS and LHS
• special education services, high ability services, the AVID program, and most vocational programs at LMS and LHS
• class sizes of no more than 30 students

This is a very fluid situation. Staffing and budget adjustments will take place over the next few months depending on how many staff retire or resign and whether the state makes further cuts (which is quite possible), among other "moving parts."

The board votes on these proposals (probably with some adjustments) at our April 20 meeting. I'm interested in reader response to these proposals, but I have a request. If you would like to take some items off the list of proposed cuts, would you please suggest what you would like to see cut in place of that item or position? Because the cuts have to be made--our cash balance means we're not cutting as deeply as many other districts, but cut we must. And soon.

Thank you for reading!