I know that Peter's blog has a list of the budget cuts and that Jessica's blog has a couple of discussions on the upcoming vote, so I won't post about those. Instead as I sit here tonight thinking about all the information and the various conversations that I have had over the last few months I keep thinking about how our decisions tomorrow will impact the kids. How do I as a non-educational based professional determine the impact my votes will have on the kids?
Lastly, I want to thank everyone that has written e-mails, spoken at the listening sessions or spoken with me via phone or face to face regarding our budget decisions that we face tomorrow. It has been invaluable getting this feedback. As I sit here tonight re-reading many of the e-mails and recalling those conversations and listening sessions it sure helps give me perspective on what people are thinking.
Again, thank you all for your input on these difficult decisions.
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Here are the savings from closing Maywood per the School District itself - closing Maywood saves about $259,000 (this is a gross amount as we are not including remodeling costs at Winnequah) which leaves $4,741,000 in other cuts that need to be made. In other words, closing Maywood only addresses about 5% of the district’s operating budget shortfall over the next five years. Folks arguing to save programming and Maywood guess what – you are on the same side – we all need more funding – we all need a referendum and we need each other to get the votes to pass one. People want the same thing - a great school district - so give them a chance to act united to seek the funding needed for that district this fall through referendum or risk dividing them for a sure failure when seeking a referendum later.
ReplyDeleteI live in Monona, and I've seen the "5% of budget" number in a flyer, and I feel it is a little off.
ReplyDeleteIf the district makes no cuts this year, it will have a $15 million hole in 5 years. If it cuts $1 million this year, it will have a $10 million hole in 5 years. If it cuts $2 million this year, it will have a $5 million hole. And if it cuts $3 million, it will be even.
$259,000 of $3 million is closer to 8.6% and the way the superintendent described it, if it was closed this year, would save about $1 million over the next 5 years, a pretty big ammount of the problem.
The plan the district is proposing is to cut a million each year for the next 5. This is a plan to spread the pain of the cuts over time and has some merits. One of the drawbacks, is it lengthens the time of making cuts making what could be a $3 million cut in one year, a $5 million cut over 5 years.
I understand how much more difficut a $3 million cut would be (the district only listed $2 million in ideas), and am not reccomending it. But I feel the math is being used to downplay the savings Maywood could produce, and ignores the fact that closing Maywood saves other programs, at least for a little while. I don't think any of the other proposed cuts would save 1 million over 5 years, and as good of a school Maywood is, it would be a worse school (and district) after loosing staff or art programs.
Jason,
ReplyDeleteYour question on the impact on the average home last night was a valid question. The question should probably be framed in the future with regard to any school in this way: what is the impact on the taxes of an average homeowner of keeping the school open? If it is 5% of the numbers Gerlach stated last night, then keeping Maywood open costs $2.50 per $100,000 the first year, $5 year 2, $7.50 year 3, $10 year 4, and $12.50 in year 5. Seems like a small price to pay to avoid the larger political firestorm.
MGSD supporter
According to Craig's estimates the cost of doing nothing and going to referendum for the full amount is $50 per $100,000. This would be the amount the 1st year and would increase to $100 in year 2 and to $150 in year 3 and so forth.
ReplyDeleteThe premise of my question was not about a single school. It was about the notion that we cannot go to district residents to bail us out and keep us from having to make the hard choices.
Until we do some serious belt tightening in all areas I will have a hard time supporting a referendum. Being the accountant that I am, I cannot justify asking for more money when we have not done everything possible to stop our own fiscal irresponsibility.
Jason--
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you. There is no way to pass a referendum in this district now. I am about as much of a school supporter as you can get- and I would not support it until I am sure the board has done all they can do.....
People need to stop living in lala land and get on with the harsh realities that we face ALONG WITH EVERY OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT.