Burlingame schools look at list of cuts - District needs to trim $525,000 from budget (by Mark Abramson, Daily News)
Burlingame School District Trustees voted unanimously during a special study session Tuesday night to cut spending this year and to approve a process for reducing next year's budget by $525,000. Superintendent Sonny Da Marto said the decision to make $445,000 in immediate spending cuts in the district's administration office would not impact the classrooms.
The trustees' vote on a process for reducing the 2008-09 fiscal year budget, which takes effect on July 1, calls for the district to conduct surveys in February and hold forums in early 2008 to get public input on what cuts should be made. The final findings are scheduled to be presented in May, and the budget is expected to be adopted in June.
The 2007-08 budget is about $19 million. The 2008-09 budget has not been set yet. "It is our hope that we could do this with as little pain as possible, but we have to tighten our belts," Superintendent Sonny Da Marto said before the meeting. "There are not a whole lot of options (for generating money)."
Board members have a seven-page list of potential cuts to choose from that totals $1.7 million. The district made $750,000 in cuts last school year. The potential cost-cutting measures on the list include eliminating a teacher position at McKinley Elementary School to save $63,000; cutting library staff to save $113,000; and removing a bilingual aid to save $25,500. Maintenance operations and the district's summer school could also see cuts. "The 2008-09 process will be more difficult," Board President Dave Pine said. "We need lots of input and lots of discussion. It's a very complicated process."
One of the reasons that the district faces a shortfall is because McKinley Elementary School had 31 fewer students enrolled than expected this year, which cost the district about $225,000 in state funding, Da Marto said.
Trustee Marc Friedman pointed out that the district does not have to cut as much as it anticipated because the costs of benefits and other expenses are less than expected.
Board Vice President Michael Barber said other districts are facing budget woes as well. "This is an ongoing issue in California. It's not going away," he said.
Burlingame School District Trustees voted unanimously during a special study session Tuesday night to cut spending this year and to approve a process for reducing next year's budget by $525,000. Superintendent Sonny Da Marto said the decision to make $445,000 in immediate spending cuts in the district's administration office would not impact the classrooms.
The trustees' vote on a process for reducing the 2008-09 fiscal year budget, which takes effect on July 1, calls for the district to conduct surveys in February and hold forums in early 2008 to get public input on what cuts should be made. The final findings are scheduled to be presented in May, and the budget is expected to be adopted in June.
The 2007-08 budget is about $19 million. The 2008-09 budget has not been set yet. "It is our hope that we could do this with as little pain as possible, but we have to tighten our belts," Superintendent Sonny Da Marto said before the meeting. "There are not a whole lot of options (for generating money)."
Board members have a seven-page list of potential cuts to choose from that totals $1.7 million. The district made $750,000 in cuts last school year. The potential cost-cutting measures on the list include eliminating a teacher position at McKinley Elementary School to save $63,000; cutting library staff to save $113,000; and removing a bilingual aid to save $25,500. Maintenance operations and the district's summer school could also see cuts. "The 2008-09 process will be more difficult," Board President Dave Pine said. "We need lots of input and lots of discussion. It's a very complicated process."
One of the reasons that the district faces a shortfall is because McKinley Elementary School had 31 fewer students enrolled than expected this year, which cost the district about $225,000 in state funding, Da Marto said.
Trustee Marc Friedman pointed out that the district does not have to cut as much as it anticipated because the costs of benefits and other expenses are less than expected.
Board Vice President Michael Barber said other districts are facing budget woes as well. "This is an ongoing issue in California. It's not going away," he said.
- Written by Fiona
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