Date: Fri 07-Mar-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

council-Borst-school-budget

Full Text:

Council Committee Suggests $200,000 Cut In School Budget

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

Low revenues and reduced state aid has forced the education sub-committee of

the Legislative Council to recommend $200,000 in cuts from the Board of

Education's proposed budget.

Committee chairman Joe Borst said the full council may end up cutting even

more from the school budget. The council, which has no say over the school

budget's individual line items, cut $250,000 from the school a year ago.

The actual amount cut from the school budget is $339,000, according to Mr

Borst, but $139,000 of that was for assessment and hookup costs for the

sewers, which will instead be picked up in the town's capital non-recurring

fund. If the council approves the recommendation, the Board of Education will

have to decide where to cut the remaining $200,000.

The cuts reduced the school board budget to $29.6 million, which represents a

4.7 percent increase over last year.

School board chairman Herb Rosenthal said the money cut represented a

significant amount of money, considering that the school system presented such

a "tight budget." He said he hoped the Legislative Council would reconsider,

but pointed out that in years past, the council has either agreed with the

sub-committee or made even further cuts.

Mr Rosenthal said much of the school budget is driven by labor contracts. If

cuts are needed, he said the school board will first look at spending for gas

and other utility costs, with classroom related cuts made only as a last

resort.