Lake Superior School District faces first deficit budget in years
June 30, 2011 at 3:00 am in Lake County News-Chronicle
Lake Superior School Board members faced a grim budget situation Tuesday during their regular board meeting. There is a preliminary deficit of about $998,000 between revenues and expenses for the 2011-2012 school year.
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This is hardley a surprise. After re-reading the information at http://www.vote381.com, its probably a wonder it is not worse. By the way, this past school year, these folks spent money on new busses at the beginning of the year before actually realizing any savings intended to purchase the busses at the end of the first 4-day school week year. They then spent a large portion of state funneled federal aid monies on increases for employee benefit programs. Then they proposed a quick raise for the staff, before state-mandated salary freezes were instituted. This group appears to have serious leadership and financial management issues, and based upon past history just doesn’t seem to have the courage or background to make the tough decisions necessary to keep the school district financially sound during these changing times. They don’t need a line of credit, they need to re-examine program offerings, staffing and fundamental focus in order to trim expenses. And, maybe, they need to demand more accountability from their superintendent.
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“We knew two years ago this was going to be a bad year,†Mikkinen said. “Unfortunately it turned out as bad as we expected it to be.â€
Oh, really. Two years to adjust operating costs, program offerings, staffing, compensation and benefit cost sharing…and very little was done except go to a four-day week? My real concern is if the school board chooses to try and add the borrowing costs on the credit lines it is opening to the regular tax statement assessments they are legally allowed to charge taxpayers without a referendum.
I just don’t understand the manner in which these folks continue to ignore the fact some tough decisions have to be made with regard to employee staffing, compensation and benefit cost sharing, as well as program reviews to eliminate non-critical offerings while focusing on higher performance in fundamental areas.
The hard job of focusing on prudent financial management seems to be escaping this board and its superintendent. This problem will only continue to get worse if somebody doesn’t start acting soon.
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A loan compounds the deficit. Instead of owing $998,000, you owe that plus interest. Worse is by taking out a loan the board has the power to raise taxes without a levy.
These decisions do not reflect the wishes of the community who voted last year to go with a four-day school week and spending cuts vs. greater spending and an increase in taxes.
Why are raises and benefits being given to teachers in the midst of almost a million dollar deficit. It’s reckless. Wasn’t the four day week a “benefit” to teachers in and of itself? Technically they work the same hours, they have to stay until 4:00, but it’s not the “same”. What teacher would opt for the five day week over the four. To most a 4:00 quit time is leaving early no matter what the time of arrival. With pensions worth well over a million if you live to be 80, almost five months of vacation days if you factor in the extra day off, holidays and summers is a raise really needed in light of having just recieved the four day benefit?
What are some other options? Can we eliminate programs until the ecomomy improves, retire older teachers making wages in the 70s, higher contributions as we non-government workers are used to (we don’t even have pensions anymore).
Kids who want to learn and excel will with or without extra teachers and programs and I am a parent of children in the school.
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