The preliminary budget was discussed last night at the School Committee meeting. This is one of the first steps of many to form a budget for the FY12 school year.
“The preliminary budget is a high level snap shot of where we are in this process,” said Anne Gilbert, a School Committee member. “The budget is more than numbers, it is a shared vision.”
Last tonight was one out of three steps in forming a budget. Next, is the proposed budget which will be discussed on March 17 and then finally is the recommend budget which will be voted on and then sent to Town Hall on March 31.
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“We must keep a Pre-K through 12 perspective. We can’t take an isolated view on this. I believe we are one system not ten separate ones,” said Superintendent Marinel D. McGrath.
The FY12 preliminary budget is $65, 709, 339 which is a 7.5 percent increase from last year. This year’s budget is made up of salaries which equals $51, 146, 674 and expenses which equals $14, 562, 665.
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The School Committee also discussed what accounts for the 7.5 percent increase. The 7.5 percent increase can be linked salary increases ($1,168,635), general expense increases ($1,255,851), salary adjustments ($994,945) and administrative requests ($1,148,970) which results in a $4, 568, 401 budget gap.
“It is still early in the process and budget assumptions can change,” said McGrath.
Once decided and voted on by the School Committee and eventually Town Meeting, the new will be budget will be implemented on July 1.
