School Board Passes Preliminary 2012-13 Budget

The passed a preliminary budget 7-2 for the 2012-13 school year Monday evening.

The early submission of the nearly $211 million budget to the state is a legal requirement, school board president Michael Faccinetto reminded the board. The document calls for a four percent tax increase and the elimination of nearly 12 teaching positions due to an expected decline in enrollment.

“This is a formality we need to go through,” he said.

Changes can, and very likely will, be made before a final draft is approved in June.

“This is something we have to do,” said Director Aurea Ortiz. “We are not going to be cutting any more teachers or programs, and that is why I'm voting 'yes.'”

Board members Basilio Bonilla and Irene Follweiler cast the dissenting votes.

Bonilla said the cuts, though likely to be reinstated before its final passage, and the reduced number of teachers the preliminary document called for, made it impossible for him to vote in its favor.

“I want students to have the same opportunities I had when I went to school here,” he said, adding that he ran on a platform of no more program or teacher eliminations.

Follweiler said she opposed that the budget again calls for raising taxes.

“My 'no' vote is in no way a reflection on the work (administrators) have put into this document,” she said. “We need to go out of the box. We can't keep pulling blood out of a stone. We need to be visionary to fund this budget and without putting people out of their homes.”

Other members, though casting supportive votes, said they have concerns as well.

Sudantha Vidanage said he wants to hear more input from the public as the budget is fine-tuned in the coming months.

“We need some input from the 'shareholders' to see what they want us to do,” Vidanage said. “Because I'm pretty sure most people I met were okay with raising taxes to give our kids a world class education.”

Monthly budget workshops are planned through June, when a final draft of the 2012-13 must be approved.