Property tax increase estimated at 12 percent
Midway through last Saturday’s joint boards meeting, Finance Committee Chairwoman Debbie Ricci handed out an updated “big picture” overview of the Fiscal Year 2008 omnibus budget. The bottom line, with initial budget requests from all boards and departments submitted, is a deficit of over a million dollars. This number does not include the cost of benefits for new positions in the school or library budgets, nor does it include cost-of-living increases for any union contracts. For the purpose of planning, nonunion cost-of-living salary increases were budgeted at 2 percent. Ricci estimated that an override of this magnitude would result in a property tax increase of around 12 percent, or an additional $877.80 for the average tax bill.
Ricci reminded members of the School Committee and the Board of Selectmen that “these are just submitted numbers at this point.” She said that the Finance Committee is looking to the other committees to prioritize their budget increases in the order of least important items first and to look for possible reductions.
Defending the school budget requests, School Committee Chairwoman Willie Wickman responded, “At some point this group of three committees has to sit down and say that we can’t afford to continue to cut.” Selectman Lucy Wallace agreed, “We need to be up front about managing to the best of our ability. So many things are beyond our control. This is the town we want and this is what it costs to run it.”
Finance Committee member George McKenna spoke of his concern about the spending levels for special education and advocated again for an independent review of the program. “There may be opportunities to realize savings,” he said. Selectman and special education review committee member Bob Eubanks explained that the committee’s highest priority is to prepare information for Town Meeting and that they have yet to determine whether an outside audit would be useful. “Detail is beginning to come out,” he said, “We’re digging in.”
Many around the table expressed concern about asking the town to support an override of over $1 million, especially in the form of one lump sum. Eubanks pointed to successes in the past when all boards came to agreement on an override figure and were unified in support, and warned of the danger of divisiveness if the groups become fragmented. Selectman Bill Marinelli observed that Harvard has one of the earliest town meetings in the state. The town would have time to hold another town meeting to vote on a reduced budget if the override fails. Speaking of three separate overrides—school, library and selectmen’s—Marinelli said, “Let’s price the overrides and put it to the town. We owe the voters a choice.”
Earlier in the meeting, in response to Finance Committee requests, the School Committee provided supporting data to budget numbers presented the previous Saturday. Asked to clarify total school spending, Finance Director Lorraine Leonard provided detail showing offsets and other funding sources that are not included in the FY08 projected school budget of $10,742,317.
Total offsets, including revenues from school choice, the state circuit breaker provision for special education, community education, the school lunch program, building rental, transportation fees, and preschool tuition, are estimated at $1,272,000 and will be applied to teaching salaries, utilities, and other selected expenses that do not appear in the omnibus budget total. Similarly, other funding sources—including grants, gifts, athletic fees and the Devens contract—totaling $719,000, are applied to special education, curriculum and professional development, the athletic program, technology, and other selected expenses. When these two numbers are added, the result is total projected school spending of $12,733,317.
A second document providing detail on the increase in school full-time equivalent staff (FTEs) from the FY07 budget to the FY08 proposed budget resulted in some confusion as to the actual number to count for the purpose of estimating the cost of benefits. The list did not include any Devens contract or special education grant positions and more than six FTEs were added in the course of the current year. Finance Committee member Steve Colwell asked how the number of FTEs could go up 10.9 in one year, when there had not been a relative increase in enrollment. Superintendent Thomas Jefferson answered that the schools are understaffed now. Referring to the overall school budget request, Jefferson said, “My historical assessment is that you have probably been underfunded at about 10 percent for a long time.”
Selectman Bill Marinelli pressed for more information on how the revenue from the contract to educate Devens students is being spent. Wickman responded that the School Committee is hesitant to show the expenses because it’s a contract and it’s easier to keep the numbers separate. “It’s important for the town to understand that if that money goes away, the teachers funded by the contract will go away,” she said. Jefferson commented, “Over time, as the Devens population increases, we can replace choice students with Devens students for an extraordinary amount of income.”
The final handout from the School Committee summarized new programs in its proposed budget, including an additional elementary school bus at $10,000, Virtual High School offerings at $16,000, an elementary school math tutor at $46,361, a school adjustment counselor for Bromfield at $25,000, and an out-of-district coordinator for special education at $25,000. Already added in the current year and requested for FY08 are two English language learner aides, one for each school at $19,683 and $22,903. Additional staffing adjustments in the budget for Bromfield and special education were described as “in response to projected enrollments and case loads and do not represent new programs.”
In anticipation of the tough decisions ahead, Finance Committee member Cindy Russo suggested reaching out to the public for ideas and public feedback. “I don’t think any of us knows the best way,” she said. For those who cannot attend tomorrow’s joint boards meeting at 9 a.m. at Town Hall, Town Administrator Tim Bragan agreed to provide a destination for suggestions or comments related to the budget process or the override at tbragan@harvard.ma.us.
