Sarasota County Schools Considering Staffing, Benefit Reductions

As Sarasota County School Board chair Frank Kovach sat through the budget workshop on Tuesday afternoon he heard the minimum and maximum reductions the school district could have for the 2011-2012 general fund.

The minimum reduction the district could have during the next fiscal year is $44.9 million. The maximum is $53.9 million.

“I don’t see a best-case, worst-case scenario,” Kovach said. “It’s more like a worse and worser.”

Massive cuts looming over the district are on top of the $104 million that has already been cut from its budget since 2007.

While he has voted for the budgets in the past that he said “put off” the problem until next year, Kovach said the district cannot do that anymore.

“We have a 45 million dollar problem and are addressing only a third of that,” Kovach said. “Passing two thirds of a problem to next year. People think things will get better [by next year] but I don’t see that happening.”

Al Weidner, the district’s deputy chief financial officer, said the reduction projects are based upon the assumptions that no additional federal stimulus funds will be available, the projected local economic impact will reduce the tax roll, there will be anticipated increase in salary and benefit appropriations and revenue reductions related to declining enrollment.

According to Weidner the tax role is anticipated to decrease 5 percent, which would lower the amount the voted 1-mil can bring in. The student population is expected to decrease next year by more than 800 students.

“We have already cut more then $104 million from the budget,” board member Jane Goodwin said. “I wish we could wave a magic wand and have more money ... We really have some very tough decisions to make.”

As the district has had a hiring freeze and cut from the edges of each department, it has done so while retaining teachers and not cutting many core programs. The largest chunk of money is benefits and step increase, which the district said may be the only place left to target. 

Weidner presented a plan on Tuesday that would cut between $7.55 million and $12.05 million in salary and benefits. He also presented the same numbers for potential staffing reductions totaling between $15.1 million and $24.1 million in reductions to salary, benefits and staff.

No final decisions have been made. District budgets cannot be finalized until the state legislature passes its budget. The end of the current legislative session is May 6.

Superintendent Lori White said she has met with the Sarasota Classified Teacher’s Association and presented them with those same numbers. She’s asked them to prioritize cuts, to start the dialogue now so that when the numbers finally get approved at the state level the district is not scrambling.

Board member Shirley Brown suggested the district think outside the box with cuts, such as furloughs instead of staff reductions. Goodwin suggested incentivizing early retirement – something the district has done in the past.

“Furloughs don’t help you next year,” Kovach sad. “We need reductions that sustain year after year, not one year cuts. Short-terms cuts mean bigger problems next year.

“We keep putting off some of the really tough decisions. It’s time for the board to stand up and look to the future.”