Budget plan leads to questions on priorities

INVERNESS -- The School Board got its first detailed look at the proposed budget for the coming year on Tuesday and questioned what kinds of expenses should be the district's priority.

Missing from the spending plan, for example, was an estimated $200,000 for new jobs at the three high schools. The positions of deans and assessment specialists have been priorities for high school administrators and, after much debate, were approved by the board several weeks ago.

But the budget doesn't include money for those jobs.

Nearly $300,000 is included to save a prekindergarten program for disadvantaged children. The district lost funding for the program recently because of changes in the criteria for which children are eligible.

Board Chairwoman Pat Deutschman said that while she supports the program, the district does not receive state funding for those children. Also, she noted, the administration has not asked the board to take money from other programs to keep that one alive.

Those financial issues could be solved soon, however.

Finance Director Sam Hurst announced that the district will have more than $9-million in undesignated funds in the budget for the coming year, once all reserve funds for special purposes have been set aside.

That is millions more than finance officials have recommended that the district budget for emergencies.

Even with those dollars available, Hurst urged the board to be conservative in its budget dealings.

The district hasn't posted the dean and assessment specialist jobs yet because officials are waiting to see whether enough students arrive in the schools this year to support the jobs, he said. State funds are largely based on the number of students, and those numbers fluctuate.

Board members said the time to fill openings in the schools is now, not after school begins and changes could cause disruptions. A short time later, the board voted to tell Superintendent David Hickey to post the positions.

Hurst also warned the board to study state revenue figures carefully. While the district will be receiving nearly 7 percent more compared to last year, he said, the state figured those dollars based on the budget cuts ordered midyear after the terrorist attacks and a shortfall of Citrus students.

The state, he said, will require the district to raise another $2.6-million in local property taxes. "Property owners will be seeing an increase ... all across the state," Hurst said.

Board member Patience Nave urged the administration to earmark specific funds for teacher pay raises to show teachers they are a top priority. But Hurst balked, saying that setting a dollar amount would destroy the negotiation process.

Hurst also noted that, in the roughly $87-million general fund budget projected for 2002-03, raises were included but there were no funds for the $850 bonuses most teachers got this year.

Also, he pointed out that no money has been set aside for costs expected after January when the district will be mandated by the state to pay incoming teachers for their total number of years of experience. The district now pays for only up to five years' experience.

The budget includes $190,000 mandated by the state to be available for a performance pay plan. That plan, which has not yet been reviewed or approved by the board, sets a process to provide pay incentives for the district's best teachers.

For several more hours on Tuesday, the board heard details of various department budgets, including requests for more staffers and additional equipment. Those discussions continue at another budget workshop Tuesday. Two public hearings on the budget are set for later this summer, with final approval set in September.

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