Quote:
Originally Posted by gokart-mozart
"Trying to figure out where to make cuts in the overall schools programs and budget to accomodate these large increases is what's being discussed"
Simple.
Cut nothing, covered employees pay the difference.
Problem solved. What's wrong with these people?
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Nothing wrong with people.
But the teachers' contract, as negotiated by the school board and teachers' association, and approved by the voters does NOT include that kind of increase. Teaching contracts come up every 2 to 3 years for re-negoiation and that would be a good time to put some language into the contract for such a thing, assuming both parties (school board and teachers' association) agree... and the voters approve the new contract.
Getting out of the budget would most likely cost more in the long-run and I would wager this was looked into but the idea dismissed because - again - it was the will of the voters that the current contract was approved, at whatever time it was passed. I will assume that the contract passed back when we were a fat and happy nation, just a little over a year ago...
However, health insurance providers and dental insurance providers could be changed. I would hope the business office (SAU office) looking into alternative providers before presenting their budget.
Our district has frozen their budget for two years in a row and returned money to the town each year in unencumbered funds. The budget up for approval by voters this year (for the 2010-2011 school year) is level funded from the previous year. The default budget for 2010-2011 is MORE than the requested operating budget. In other words, if the budget gets voted down and the school has to run on a default budget, then they will have MORE money for the year than if the budget has passed. Go figure.