Municipal and school budgeting is not for the faint of heart. It is a complicated process that relies on, in some cases, estimates of both revenue and costs because they are unknown at the time new budgets must be adopted. Nevertheless, someone has to do this work. The budget process for the school department is straightforward. The various administrators and department heads prepare a budget that reflects what they believe they need in order to properly educate our students. The superintendent reviews those requests and makes appropriate adjustments. This becomes the budget presented to the School Board Finance Committee.

The budget the superintendent presented to the finance committee requested an increase of $1.2 million or 3.52 percent. After review by the finance committee and with the support of the full Board of Education, the School Board presented a budget to the town’s finance committee calling for a net increase of $92,241 or an increase to the town’s tax levy of 0.34 percent at current valuation.

The School Board’s finance committee went through the proposed budget line by line asking questions and making adjustments amounting to almost $800,000 from the requested budget. The School Board’s finance committee did this to meet the request of the town officials that any budget the School Board brings forth reflect a zero percent increase in the tax levy. In fact, the Town Council adopted a Job Savings Resolution calling for the Board of Education to join the Council in supporting this resolution through limiting fixed cost increases by delivering a fiscally responsible budget while maintaining current levels of programs and services. The School Board did what it was asked to do only to be told it was not good enough. The town manager adjusted this requested increase downward another $92,000, and the town’s finance committee adjusted this downward again another $715,000 for a total of $801,152. The School Board will not be able to maintain the current level of programs and services if the Council’s finance committee recommendation is adopted.

The School Board’s budget as presented to the Town Finance Committee will result in a reduction of the property tax levy.

In the current year, the School District’s budget was curtailed by the state in the amount of $781,392. As soon as that number was known, the School Department immediately halted the purchase of supplies, field trips, and other non-essential educational expenses, saving $200,000.

The stimulus money has restored this money, although “the check is still in the mail.” We are planning to use this money in a responsible way, one that keeps from adding positions that will in two years become a local responsibility. We are ordering the supplies that were put on hold; ordering supplies ahead for next year so we could reduce the supply account for 2010. We are purchasing new curriculum materials for the math program we have been piloting at the middle school for the last few years. We are doing this, so it can be implemented from this year’s curtailment fund, thereby eliminating this expense from next year’s budget.

The remaining curtailment money is used to offset any increases to the 2010 budget and will be used cover unexpected expenses. The state has informed the School Board that if the curtailment funds are used to reduce the tax levy, the school district could lose those funds. The School Department must account to the state and federal government as to exactly how each penny of those funds are spent.

We urge town residents to contact their councilors and attend the public hearing on the budget. The public hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. April 29 at Town Hall. We encourage you to attend and express your concerns about the budget being proposed for the School Department. Whether you support or do not support the Town Council Finance Committee recommendation, this is the time to let the Council know. If the school budget is reduced there will be an impact. The School Board will do its job and make appropriate reductions hoping to have little impact to our academic programs. Last year, for example, we had to close the libraries at the elementary schools one day a week due to Town Council budget reductions. Currently, Scarborough High School does not offer any computer or technical courses to our students. In our “no-tax-increase” budget, we have provided for two new staff positions to offer a limited range of computer courses. Instituting these new positions is of high priority to the school board.

The town charter limits the Council’s authority on the school budget to set only the “bottom line,” so the $715,000 reduction must have come from somewhere. The town finance committee must have had something in mind when they decided to reduce the budget below last year’s level. Surely, they didn’t just pick a number out of the air? The town manager noted in his message to the council he picked $92,000 as his suggested reduction because the School Board included two new computer teacher positions.

There will be an impact if there is a reduction in the school’s budget of the size the Town Council Finance Committee is recommending. The impact will be felt in the academic/athletic/extracurricular programs, class size, and/or busing/cafeteria services. We look forward to hearing your input throughout the remainder of the process.

Brian Dell’Olio, School Board chairman

Chris Brownsey, School Board Finance Committee chairman

Annalee Rosenblatt, School Board Finance Committee member