Manatee School Board Opens Up Budget Process

How can a citizen respond in three minutes to a half-billion-plus dollar budget for Manatee County schools? That was the state of affairs for as long as people can remember, because three minutes was “tops” at the annual public hearings.

Governments all over Florida followed the same model. Staff prepared the budget in July, policy makers went on vacation in August, and held public hearings in September. But no longer.

On Tuesday the Manatee County School Board decided on a policy of eight public workshops and three public hearings. And it decided to make its finances – in effect opening up its checkbook register and credit card bills – visible to the public on its website (www.manateeschools.net). Only two other school boards in the state do that.

But wait, there’s more. To widen the circle of people who can comment, the school board will turn to social media like Facebook and other sites to seek not only a broader circle of brainpower but allow faster comment on ideas. “Today’s stakeholder is much more comfortable communicating through the use of social media,” said School Superintendent Tim McGonegal. “This will also enhance input from schools’ advisory councils, businesses and taxpayers.”

And one more change is coming. The district will move to a “modified zero-based budget model,” said Budget Director Jim Drake. Every department must start from scratch to build its annual budget, not simply tweak last year’s budget up or down a few percentage points.

Times are tight, and demands are growing Last year the Mantee County School System enrolled 1,167 more student than the year before. And this year, it is looking at 971 more students. Meanwhile the  budget based on property taxes continues to nosedive. The current budget is $46.3 million less than 2010, a seven percent reduction despite two percent more students. 

The financial climate is far different than years ago. In the superintendent’s executive budget summary in September. McGonegal noted, “For the 2011/12 fiscal year I am proposing an additional $14 million in cuts for a three-year total of $60.8 million” or about a 10 percent reduction. Given the uncertainty with state funding, staff is preparing for another five percent cut to the coming budget.

In less than a month, the school board will hold its second public budget workshop on November 28 after Governor RIck Scott releases his preliminary forecast for state school funding. The board will also receive an update about legislative thinking about the education budget. Following that meeting, the board will meet in December, January, February, twice in April and May to receive input from staff and the public. In June the board will post a proposed budget on the district’s website for public comment.

It’s a far cry from the old three-minute rule.