Keep Framingham Affordable
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| School budget "in trouble," committee member says | Wednesday, February 8, 2006 |
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| Tyler B. Reed / Daily News Staff | Metrowest Daily News |
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FRAMINGHAM -- The school district needs a $6 million boost to the budget to
avoid cuts next year, but may not even get $300,000, according to estimates
provided to the School Committee last night.
"This is really a sad state of affairs," committee member Phil Dinsky said. "We’re in trouble." The town's electricity rate is set to triple after this month and a new school bus contract, which is out to bid, could be 10 percent more expensive, Superintendent Christopher Martes said. Those cost increases combine with an extra $3.7 million needed to pay staff. The projected $5.7 million shortfall is forcing Martes to plan for possible cuts. "We are going to create a number of scenarios around reducing the budget," he said. Martes’ predictions followed a presentation from town Chief Financial Officer Mary Ellen Kelley, who said the schools’$76 million budget might increase by only .4 percent in fiscal 2007. The dire predictions come less than a month after Gov. Mitt Romney said he wants to increase state education funding to "it's highest level ever" and change the formula for calculating it so towns like Framingham would get a greater share. But town officials predict the increase in local aid would send only about $1.3 million more to Framingham. And Kelley said, despite Romney's comments, the town is still $6.1 million behind in local aid after the state contributions were dramatically cut a half-decade ago. "We have yet to recover from the cutting," she said. "When is this going to stop?" Dinksy said. "This is (supposed to be) a good year." The schools needed $3.6 million for a level-funded budget last year, Martes said. The jump to $6 million this year stems from the utilities and transportation cost increases and another $1.1 million needed to pay for special education. Martes stressed those numbers are only estimates, but said he and his staff are preparing for "a perfect storm of very dire consequences" if local aid numbers are low and cost increases turn out high. "You really have to consider restructuring some of your fixed costs," Kelley said. "I've depressed you all into silence." In other business last night, the School Committee had a peek at a draft of next school year’s calendar. The calendar shows school starting on Wednesday, Aug. 30, and ending on June 13, 2007. The draft schedules graduation for Saturday, June 2, 2007. |
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