School Board Approves Budget, Millage

There was relief on the faces of school board members Tuesday night as they unanimously passed the $372 million 2011-12 budget. For the last 12 months the board has been holding monthly budget workshops to get continued updates on the budget.

"Even though this [meeting] went really fast, it feels like we have been working on this forever," said board chair Frank Kovach.

"It has been a difficult year, and I would like to thank the superintendent for leading us through this process," said board member Carol Todd.

The relief may be short lived, though, as the district is already working on next year's budget. Despite the $13 million the district cut from this year's budget, it could be facing an even greater budget shortfall next year.

Property values are not expected to bring in more revenue next year, while the district is also unlikely to get an increased allocation from Tallahassee following a 10 percent cut this year.

What is also unclear is how President Barack Obama's proposed jobs bill, if passed, would affect next year's budget.

Throughout this year's budget negotiations, Kovach has said that delaying cuts this year would only make the 2012-13 budget much more difficult. 

“We have a $45 million problem and are addressing only a third of that,” Kovach said at a . “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.”

The district has now cut $116 million from its budget since 2007-08.

It got some budget relief this year with a with the Sarasota Classified Teachers Association.

Under that agreement teachers have to contribute more to health insurance. Step-increase and longevity bonuses will be frozen for the 2011-12 school year and can be revisited and negotiated after each school year. Any teachers that were hired after July 1 of this summer are not eligible for the step-increase or longevity bonuses at all.

The new agreement will save the district nearly $13.6 million this year.

Approved Millage Rates:

• Required Local Effort                              4.387 mils

• Discretionary Operating                          0.748 mils

• Capital                                                  1.500 mils

• Voted Operating                                     1.000 mils

According to the district, the proposed required local effort millage rate represents an 11.80 percent decrease from last year's rolled back millage rate. The total 2011 proposed millage rate represents a 9.61 percent decrease from last year's rolled back millage rate. The operating millage is required to hire staff for the school district, pay negotiated salary and fringe benefits to staff, and the cost of fuel, electricity and other goods and services.