In the spirit of transparency and in the face of substantial state aid cuts, the Bethlehem Central School District is slated to begin its community budget forums on Monday, Jan. 12.
The district will kick off a series of four community budget forums in an effort to provide information and answer questions of taxpayers as the new budget season kicks into high gear.
Starting at 7 p.m. in the Bethlehem Central Middle School library, the forums will provide the opportunity for taxpayers, parents and community members to provide budget input, ask questions and receive answers to frequently asked questions, according to district officials.
Bethlehem Superintendent Michael Tebbano, who is in his first year at the helm of the suburban district, said he called for the public forums to work with the public and create a transparent opportunity for residents to participate in the process that dictates what their school tax rates will be.
`It is my hope that the forums will lead to two things: a greater sense on the district’s part of the community’s budget priorities and greater community understanding about the district’s budget, the pressures on it and what it accomplishes,` Tebbano said. `Community participation will be essential this year at a time when budget priorities will help guide some tough decisions.`
The first of the four budget forums will come less than a month after the release of Gov. David Paterson’s proposed budget for next year. Under the governor’s proposal, Bethlehem would have to grapple in 2009-10 with a significant state funding cut that includes more than a $2.2 million loss in anticipated aid.
Paterson’s budget plan for the 2009-2010 fiscal year was announced Wednesday, Dec. 17, and it included some layoffs of the state workforce and about $698 million in cuts to school aid statewide.
Tebbano said that the proposed cut would be more than 9 percent of the district’s total state aid package in the current year.
`We are still combing through the details of the governor’s proposal, but it’s safe to say these figures are concerning,` Tebbano said after the state budget proposal came out. `Essentially, there are only two options to make up for every dollar that is not received in state aid — property taxes and cuts to programs and services. As always, we’ll work to control costs wherever possible, but a cut on this scale could result in significant programmatic reductions or eliminations.`
Tebbano noted the proposal is now in the hands of state legislators, with a state budget deadline of April 1. However, Paterson has publicly stated that he hopes the Legislature will act on the proposal by March 1.
Tebbano said the community budget forums grew out of his interest in building on the work of the citizens budget group during the past two years when he was the district’s assistant superintendent under former Superintendent Les Loomis. Tebbano said he believes the forums will be a way to open discussions to the broader community that would frame the board of education’s budget work in February and March.
Tebbano said the district launched an online `community budget forum` survey in November to try to gain a better sense of how the community wanted the forums to operate.
The district reported that it received more than 300 responses and that those surveyed had indicated a preference to focus on the academic program and class sizes and areas of savings/efficiencies in the budget. Those responding said they preferred to participate through both presentations and opportunities to ask questions.
Tebbano said the district is compiling a `frequently asked questions` document to address concerns and topics that were brought up in the survey. He added that answers would be presented on an ongoing basis throughout all four forums.
The only `silver lining` of the governor’s proposal, according to Bethlehem Board of Education President James Lytle, was that the district would still get funding for the planned full-day kindergarten conversion.
Even though aid is being cut, Paterson’s budget included a `full-day conversion aid,` which is designed to help districts with the costs of starting a full-day kindergarten program.
In June 2006, the Bethlehem Board of Education approved implementing the full-day program in September 2009, and board members said at the Dec. 17 meeting that the school would continue with the program as planned.
`In a year when state funding for education is decreasing, we are pleased to see that the governor’s proposal includes the full-day kindergarten aid,` Lytle said. `We are, therefore, reaffirming that the district will make good on its promise to the community and begin the full-day program as scheduled, without imposing any undue burden on taxpayers in the coming budget.`
The budget forums will be held on Jan. 12 and 26, and then on Feb. 2 and 9. While the topics covered and questions answered at each forum will differ, Tebbano said, those interested in attending should note that they can ask a question or provide input on all topics at any of the sessions.
The school district released the following schedule and tentative agendas:
Jan. 12: Welcome; brief intro on 2009-10 budget issues; presentation: survey information; frequently asked questions and answers; and a public input/questions session.
Jan. 26: School budget basics in 10 minutes; presentation: state aid issues; budget areas and costs: An overview; frequently asked questions and answers; and a public input/questions session.
Feb. 2: Presentations: Academic program/class size, existing areas of savings/efficiency; frequently asked questions and answers; and a public input/questions session.
Feb. 9: Address remaining questions; frequently asked questions and answers; and a public input/questions session; and a board of education budget development schedule/outline.
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