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June 13. 2012 11:46PM
Manchester's school budget, by the numbers
MANCHESTER— After weeks of negotiations, number-crunching and political wrangling, the aldermen have handed the Manchester School District a budget bottom line. The Board of School Committee will meet Wednesday to decide which teachers and programs will get the money.
The Board of Aldermen voted Tuesday to appropriate $152,217,000 to city schools and to defer a $428,000 book loan payment owed to the city next fiscal year. Combined, the school district will get not only the $152.2 million it requested earlier this year, but nearly $500,000 in additional funding to put toward bringing back staff.
School board members interviewed after the vote were surprised the aldermen approved the amount they did.
“I was delighted that (Alderman) Joyce Craig found a way to get the school district what they asked for but lower everyone's taxes. She's a genius,” said School Committee member At-Large Kathy Staub. “But we're still not there yet. We have the short-term problem of how we're going to open school next year.”
Committee member Sarah Ambrogi said her response wasn't exactly surprise, but she did recognize that a significant compromise had been made.
“I was hopeful they would do it and I know there was a lot of back and forth and political pressure not to do that,” Ambrogi said.
According to the aldermen's budget numbers, the district may be able to bring back up to 55 staff members and keep the tax rate increase within the tax cap. The 1.37 percent estimated tax increase comes out to about a 30-cents-per-$1,000 increase to the rate. For the owner of a $200,000 home, this would mean another $60 on the annual property tax bill.
The city can estimate what the tax rate will be next fiscal year, but the state makes the final determination and sets the rate in the fall.
When it comes to how many jobs will be saved, Superintendent of Schools Thomas Brennan said the administration has to take a closer look at the new budget numbers and which teachers are most likely to return based on their job and seniority.
Brennan said at first glance, the new budget allows the district to restore about 50 jobs.
When initial budget projections were handed to the school committee in January, members were told they would need to lay off 161 employees to stay within the $152 million budget they requested. An additional 50 jobs had to be axed if the aldermen gave the district Mayor Ted Gatsas' proposed $150 million, according to district projections at the time.
But fiscal projections change. This year, they improved slightly, said School Business Administrator Karen DeFrancis. Costs were reduced when utility usage went down and thanks to changes in the district's medical and school nurse contracts. The savings from the 161 layoffs also increased when the administration looked at the actual earnings of staff members targeted for layoff. Adding these items with the retirements, people leaving the district and other vacancies, budget estimates fell within the $150 million mayor's budget, she said.
According to DeFrancis, the school district is currently down 197 positions, including retirements, vacancies, layoffs and staff that asked not to return next year. Of those, 168 are teachers.
If the Board of School Committee opts to use the additional funds to restore staff, that still leaves the schools with approximately 150 open positions.
The school board will meet with the district administration to discuss which programs and subject areas the members would like to see retained in the new budget during the 7 p.m., special meeting Wednesday. Brennan said he expects the board to lay out priorities.
“There will be some conversation involving which grade levels and programs and where people will be coming back, mindful of seniority,” said Brennan.
Beth LaMontagne Hall may be reached at bhall@unionleader.com.
The Board of Aldermen voted Tuesday to appropriate $152,217,000 to city schools and to defer a $428,000 book loan payment owed to the city next fiscal year. Combined, the school district will get not only the $152.2 million it requested earlier this year, but nearly $500,000 in additional funding to put toward bringing back staff.
School board members interviewed after the vote were surprised the aldermen approved the amount they did.
“I was delighted that (Alderman) Joyce Craig found a way to get the school district what they asked for but lower everyone's taxes. She's a genius,” said School Committee member At-Large Kathy Staub. “But we're still not there yet. We have the short-term problem of how we're going to open school next year.”
Committee member Sarah Ambrogi said her response wasn't exactly surprise, but she did recognize that a significant compromise had been made.
“I was hopeful they would do it and I know there was a lot of back and forth and political pressure not to do that,” Ambrogi said.
According to the aldermen's budget numbers, the district may be able to bring back up to 55 staff members and keep the tax rate increase within the tax cap. The 1.37 percent estimated tax increase comes out to about a 30-cents-per-$1,000 increase to the rate. For the owner of a $200,000 home, this would mean another $60 on the annual property tax bill.
The city can estimate what the tax rate will be next fiscal year, but the state makes the final determination and sets the rate in the fall.
When it comes to how many jobs will be saved, Superintendent of Schools Thomas Brennan said the administration has to take a closer look at the new budget numbers and which teachers are most likely to return based on their job and seniority.
Brennan said at first glance, the new budget allows the district to restore about 50 jobs.
When initial budget projections were handed to the school committee in January, members were told they would need to lay off 161 employees to stay within the $152 million budget they requested. An additional 50 jobs had to be axed if the aldermen gave the district Mayor Ted Gatsas' proposed $150 million, according to district projections at the time.
But fiscal projections change. This year, they improved slightly, said School Business Administrator Karen DeFrancis. Costs were reduced when utility usage went down and thanks to changes in the district's medical and school nurse contracts. The savings from the 161 layoffs also increased when the administration looked at the actual earnings of staff members targeted for layoff. Adding these items with the retirements, people leaving the district and other vacancies, budget estimates fell within the $150 million mayor's budget, she said.
According to DeFrancis, the school district is currently down 197 positions, including retirements, vacancies, layoffs and staff that asked not to return next year. Of those, 168 are teachers.
If the Board of School Committee opts to use the additional funds to restore staff, that still leaves the schools with approximately 150 open positions.
The school board will meet with the district administration to discuss which programs and subject areas the members would like to see retained in the new budget during the 7 p.m., special meeting Wednesday. Brennan said he expects the board to lay out priorities.
“There will be some conversation involving which grade levels and programs and where people will be coming back, mindful of seniority,” said Brennan.
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Beth LaMontagne Hall may be reached at bhall@unionleader.com.