Budget Snapshot
Al Hamilton
Here is a quick snapshot of one of the budget scenarios that is being evaluated. It involves pretty steep cuts in municipal budgets but keeps the schools at the requested levels. The school budget shows a 1.9% increase due to the fact that school debt service declines.
It should be apparent that the biggest problem is not on the expense side but on the income side with a very substantial decline in other income (this includes a $500k transfer from stabilization or it would be even worse. The big drivers are reductions in free cash, overlay reserve and transfers from stabilization.
Note that this scenario still requires a prop 2.5 override.
This is merely a snapshot and a scenario. The advisory committee has not finished its work vetting the budgets
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Budget Snapshot ($000) Steep Municipal Cuts Scenario |
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|
2010 |
2011 |
Pct Chg |
|
Expenses Municipal Budget |
15,979 |
15,169 |
-5.3% |
|
School Budget |
29,273 |
29,842 |
1.9% |
|
Total |
45,252 |
45,011 |
-0.5% |
|
Income |
|
|
|
|
Property Taxes within Prop 2.5 |
30,938 |
32,464 |
4.7% |
|
Prop. 2.5 Override |
|
314 |
100.0% |
|
Other Sources |
14,314 |
12,233 |
-17.0% |
|
Total |
45,252 |
45,011 |
-0.5% |
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|
|
|
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Total Property Taxes |
30,938 |
32,778 |
5.6% |
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|
|
|
|
|
Property Tax on a Median Home |
$7,823 |
$8,250 |
5.2% |
|
a Median Home |
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Assumptions |
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Steep Cuts in Warrant Articles |
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Steep Cuts in Municipal Services |
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$500k from Stabilization towards K-8 Schools |
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No Funding from Telecoms Money in Overlay Reserve |
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Al Hamilton
President
SignalFire Telemetry, Inc.
Tel: 978 212 2868
Cell: 508 527 3952
email: al.ha...@signal-fire.com
MukherjeeFamily
I haven’t been able to spend time on the school budget, but does everyone (or anyone?) believe the school budget increase is warranted, given the economy? Charles Gobron has already started a public campaign on this, so clearly he will move forward with this.
Maybe I missed this, but can someone summarize what the heavy-hitters in the school budget are?
Personally, I am not worried about a one-time increase of 5% property tax. But, this seems to be a pattern. If you add up such increases over 5 years, you are beginning to talk real money (upwards of several thousand dollars per year).
-Shubu
Rueger family
Neil Rossen
That’s an interesting idea, David. The problem is that one needs a detailed knowledge of the budget and its main drivers to properly cross-examine Gobron (BTW, I was criticized on another board for not according him his Dr prefix).My own experience suggests that only a picking apart of the budget as would happen in the private sector would yield daylight. For example, what additional measurable student performance is achieved with each additional dollar spent. Further, a multi-year comparison of expenditures on the main drivers, including headcount and student/teacher ratios and all related rationales may be helpful. Perhaps the Advisory Committee are doing just that.
He is an excellent propagandist for increased spending at the school, and seems to have persuaded many parents of his veracity – naturally, they did not have a DETAILED EXAMINATION of the budget. I fear that his emotional appeals may well win the day as they did last year. Simply listening to his budget pitch without a detailed examination will not IMO yield much.
Too little attention is being paid to the less advantaged members in town, including the unemployed. Shubu and others in this area may not be concerned with a 5% rate hike, but others may well be.
Personally, I m less than amused that Gobron has apparently made such a weak effort to stay within guidelines.
Others may care to comment.
MukherjeeFamily
Why don’t we set up a meeting with Dr. Gobron? It doesn’t hurt to understand … he can give his spiel, but we want to see where the heavy hitting items are coming from and then we can do our own research. I think the Selectmen and Advisory committee get to dive deep inside the budget, so we can enlist their help afterwards in understanding the budget.
Last year I had spent a lot of time on the school budget and it is not very hard to understand. The key is to track where the increase is coming from and usually you won’t get a straight answer from anyone until you look at it yourself J.
I am opposed to unjustified increases in property tax. I haven’t seen the justification yet on why the school budget should go up. Dr. Gobron tends to describe doomsday scenarios and get the public’s attention. If anyone is to stand against Dr. Gobron this year, he/she needs to be able to present in front of the town as well as make the point concise and crisp and define another doomsday scenario (e.g., people leaving Southborough). After all this is all “politics” … unfortunately.
Rueger family
Hi All
If you are interested, Superintendent Gobron will be talking about the high school budget tomorrow night at Algonquin High.
GOBRON TO ATTEND NEXT APTO MEETING
The APTO has invited
Superintendent Gobron to join us for our meeting this Thursday,
February
11 at 8 pm in the library. He will
explain the Algonquin budget that is currently being planned for next year and
will answer all
questions and address any concerns. Since this is such an important topic for
our school and our towns, it will be the only
addenda item for the meeting. Please join us. The APTO would like to do as
much as possible to help parents be informed about the budget before the voting
at our Town
Meetings in April. This year's budget process has turned out to be one of the
toughest on record. The state has cut
reimbursement to the regional school systems and the towns are asking for
reduced spending. The proposed cuts include
potential loss of teachers, as well as support staff. Please come and learn all
the details
first hand from the Superintendent!
----- Original Message -----From: Neil RossenSent: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 12:42 PMSubject: RE: School Budget
That's an interesting idea, David. The problem is that one needs a detailed knowledge of the budget and its main drivers to properly cross-examine Gobron (BTW, I was criticized on another board for not according him his Dr prefix).My own experience suggests that only a picking apart of the budget as would happen in the private sector would yield daylight. For example, what additional measurable student performance is achieved with each additional dollar spent. Further, a multi-year comparison of expenditures on the main drivers, including headcount and student/teacher ratios and all related rationales may be helpful. Perhaps the Advisory Committee are doing just that.
He is an excellent propagandist for increased spending at the school, and seems to have persuaded many parents of his veracity - naturally, they did not have a DETAILED EXAMINATION of the budget. I fear that his emotional appeals may well win the day as they did last year. Simply listening to his budget pitch without a detailed examination will not IMO yield much.
Susan Fitzgerald
APTO member to attend?
-Susan
http://www.mysouthborough.com/
On Feb 10, 6:18 pm, "Rueger family" <dwkrue...@msn.com> wrote:
> Hi All
>
> If you are interested, Superintendent Gobron will be talking about the high school budget tomorrow night at Algonquin High.
>
> GOBRON TO ATTEND NEXT APTO MEETING
>
> The APTO has invited Superintendent Gobron to join us for our meeting this Thursday,
> February 11 at 8 pm in the library. He will explain the Algonquin budget that is currently being planned for next year and will answer all questions and address any concerns. Since this is such an important topic for our school and our towns, it will be the only addenda item for the meeting. Please join us. The APTO would like to do as much as possible to help parents be informed about the budget before the voting at our Town Meetings in April. This year's budget process has turned out to be one of the toughest on record. The state has cut reimbursement to the regional school systems and the towns are asking for reduced spending. The proposed cuts include potential loss of teachers, as well as support staff. Please come and learn all the details first hand from the Superintendent!
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Neil Rossen<mailto:nmros...@gmail.com>
> To: southbo...@googlegroups.com<mailto:southbo...@googlegroups.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 12:42 PM
> Subject: RE: School Budget
>
> That's an interesting idea, David. The problem is that one needs a detailed knowledge of the budget and its main drivers to properly cross-examine Gobron (BTW, I was criticized on another board for not according him his Dr prefix).My own experience suggests that only a picking apart of the budget as would happen in the private sector would yield daylight. For example, what additional measurable student performance is achieved with each additional dollar spent. Further, a multi-year comparison of expenditures on the main drivers, including headcount and student/teacher ratios and all related rationales may be helpful. Perhaps the Advisory Committee are doing just that.
>
> He is an excellent propagandist for increased spending at the school, and seems to have persuaded many parents of his veracity - naturally, they did not have a DETAILED EXAMINATION of the budget. I fear that his emotional appeals may well win the day as they did last year. Simply listening to his budget pitch without a detailed examination will not IMO yield much.
>
> Too little attention is being paid to the less advantaged members in town, including the unemployed. Shubu and others in this area may not be concerned with a 5% rate hike, but others may well be.
>
> Personally, I m less than amused that Gobron has apparently made such a weak effort to stay within guidelines.
>
> Others may care to comment.
>
> From: southbo...@googlegroups.com [mailto:southbo...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Rueger family
> Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 11:00 AM
> To: southbo...@googlegroups.com
> Subject: School Budget
>
> Hi All
>
> Gobron can meet with us if we truly want to learn and discuss the school budget details. I can arrange a meeting. Is there interest?
>
> David
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
> From: MukherjeeFamily<mailto:mukherjeefam...@gmail.com>
>
> To: southbo...@googlegroups.com<mailto:southbo...@googlegroups.com>
>
> Cc: 'MukherjeeFamily'<mailto:mukherjeefam...@gmail.com>
> email: al.hamil...@signal-fire.com<mailto:al.hamil...@signal-fire.com>
>
> www.signal-fire.com
MukherjeeFamily
From mysouthborough.com:
Phaneuf said town employees will forgo raises this year. In contrast, the school budget includes an additional $550K for contractually-obligated teacher salary increases. Those salary increases are one of the main drivers for the overall increase in the school budget.
-Shubu
Neil Rossen
Its best that all read the whole entry. Why bother to go to the meeting if these people won’t give anything up:
Selectwoman asks teachers to ‘give something up’
Posted: 10 Feb 2010 11:28 AM PST
During a meeting in which selectmen were cutting town budgets left and right, Selectwoman Bonnie Phaneuf expressed frustration over the state of the school budget, which currently proposes a 3.63% increase over last year.
“Town employees have given up a lot in the past couple of years,” she said. “The school department has not stepped forward with their personnel.”
Phaneuf said town employees will forgo raises this year. In contrast, the school budget includes an additional $550K for contractually-obligated teacher salary increases. Those salary increases are one of the main drivers for the overall increase in the school budget.
Phaneuf also noted that as of this year town employees started picking up 25% of their health care costs — up from 20% two years ago. The shift was expected to save the town about $100K. Last year teachers declined to increase their contribution to health care costs from 20% to 25% to match that of town employees.
As it stands, the preliminary school budget would cut six teaching positions along with 3.5 staff and support positions. Parents have expressed concern over the impact teacher layoffs would have on class sizes.
“If classroom sizes go up, it’s because someone refused to give something up,” Phaneuf said. “They haven’t demonstrated to me that they’re willing to give something up.”
The school committee is expected to vote on their budget tomorrow night.
Neil Rossen
If you do go, please ask for a comment on this:
Selectwoman asks teachers to ‘give something up’
Posted: 10 Feb 2010 11:28 AM PST
During a meeting in which selectmen were cutting town budgets left and right, Selectwoman Bonnie Phaneuf expressed frustration over the state of the school budget, which currently proposes a 3.63% increase over last year.
“Town employees have given up a lot in the past couple of years,” she said. “The school department has not stepped forward with their personnel.”
Phaneuf said town employees will forgo raises this year. In contrast, the school budget includes an additional $550K for contractually-obligated teacher salary increases. Those salary increases are one of the main drivers for the overall increase in the school budget.
Phaneuf also noted that as of this year town employees started picking up 25% of their health care costs — up from 20% two years ago. The shift was expected to save the town about $100K. Last year teachers declined to increase their contribution to health care costs from 20% to 25% to match that of town employees.
As it stands, the preliminary school budget would cut six teaching positions along with 3.5 staff and support positions. Parents have expressed concern over the impact teacher layoffs would have on class sizes.
“If classroom sizes go up, it’s because someone refused to give something up,” Phaneuf said. “They haven’t demonstrated to me that they’re willing to give something up.”
The school committee is expected to vote on their budget tomorrow night.
Al Hamilton
Al Hamilton
Tel: 978 212 2868
Cell: 508 527 3952