SCHOOLS WATCH STATE BUDGET CLOSELY
Tuesday, May 26th, 2009 -- 2:12 PM
It?s not unusual for state budget-writers to make school district administrators? jobs difficult?but it looks like this summer will be the trickiest yet.Administrators have to put together budgets without knowing for sure how the state legislature and the Governor will adjust school funding, which makes up a huge part of their revenues.
Neillville administrator John Gaier says this year?s picture is even murkier.
The Governor announced this week state aid for public education would be cut by 2.5%.
"He was pretty evasive, really, as to what the 2.5% will be," Gaier notes, "and how he would go about getting to that 2.5%. Whether it's aid that would be coming to schools, whether if they would allow that decrease in aid to be picked up by property tax."
If they have to cut costs, districts will be hard-pressed to cut staff. Many schools have already passed their deadline to give layoff notices.
If the state just cuts state aid, Gaier says Neillsville would lose out on $200,000.
"It's a good chunk of money. If that type of figure is passed on to property taxpayers, who are also struggling in these economics, that's a very bitter pill," Gaier says.
Then there?s the whole issue of the QEO, which seems to be on the way out.
Gaier and his school board begin work on the budget in February; it goes to district residents in August. They work off assumptions, but must wait for the state to finish their work.
"(In the past) at least they had negotiated a lot of the budget and had tentative agreements on a lot of thee budget. Schools had a pretty good idea. This is the fire first time where we really don't know where that 2.5% is going to come," he notes.
The state budget is supposed to be complete by July 1. The last budget, back in 2007, was four months late.
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.