Solehi School Board Begins Budget Cuts

The Monday night cut $900,000 from the 2011-2012 budget and without getting into specifics discussed possible future tax increases and personnel cuts.  It also warned the final budget will probably carry even larger cuts.

The $900,000 in cuts were many and varied. Some programs, such as the mobile agricultural lab, were cut altogether. Others, such as the amount the district spends on software, saw a cut in funding.

"None of these are fun things to eliminate," said board member Jeffrey Dimmig. The board unanimously approved the majority of the proposed cuts.

The board also looked at additional revenue streams. A $25 participation fee was introduced for middle school sports. That's half the current participation fee that high school athletes must pay.

The board projects that $4.1 million will have to be cut within the next five years if the district is to avoid a deficit.

The board will present the official budget to the public in May and will vote on it in June. And it warned the final budget will probably carry even larger cuts.

"The red we're in this year is not made up," Dimmig said.

He made his remark during a discussion of possible personnel cuts. "I recall discussing some low-performing areas where there may be some savings," Dimmig said.

"[The school board is] still nibbling around the edges," board member Dr. Elizabeth Stelts said of the budget cuts. "The only place you can make real changes is to look at personnel."

Other members disagreed that the situation was dire enough to begin cutting personnel. "I'm a little weary of hearing about how bad things are going to be in three, four, five years when we haven't got the foggiest," said board member Bill Miracle. "We will have those discussions, but we're not there yet."

The preliminary cuts were only the beginning of the changes that will need to be made if the district is to remain solvent in the next five years, board members and district officials said.  "We'd have to do a list like this every year for the next five years or raise taxes," said board president Michael Eddinger.

As for a possible tax increase, James Snell, director of business and personnel services, said: "In order to meet the budget for year five, we need a significant reduction in spending, a substantial tax increase, or a combination of the two."

While Eddinger agreed, he stressed that not even a maximum tax increase would help the district meet its five-year projection. "We're not going to tax our way out of this problem," he said.

The next school board meeting will be at 7:30pm on April 26 at the high school.