Budget Impasse: How Much Will It Cost Newport Schools?

NEWPORT, RI — The stalemate over the budget will have an impact on the public schools, if it continues and no new budget is passed. House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello sent the House home for the summer — and possibly for the rest of the year — on June 30 after the Senate inserted an eleventh hour amendment to the budget the House had already passed.

Mattiello has told WPRO-AM he will call Senate President Dominick Ruggerio on Monday about a meeting to discuss their differences. Meanwhile, news sources have reported the potential impact on cities like Providence and Cranston. WPRI-TV news has reported Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza has predicted massive layoffs, while Cranston's Mayor Allan Fung has said the city can absorb the loss for a little while. But what would it mean for Newport?

Patch asked Schools Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain about the impact. She did not have a hard number but said her information, coming from the state Department of Revenue, indicated the cost would be more than $600,000.

"The impact if this continues or is not resolved soon is approximately $600K plus for Newport according to the RI General Treasurer's office," she wrote in an e-mail message. "The monthly installments that the state sends to us will be reduced approximately. Our district just received its 2018 allocation from the City on June 28th so we are presently adjusting and balancing our budget now. Right now we are planning to set up a budget workshop in the near future."

She did not indicate any actions the schools would take to deal with the loss of revenues, except to call for a workshop.

School Committee member David Carlin said he has no doubt the state budget will be passed eventually and said the impasse will ultimately have no impact on the schools.

"It's much ado about nothing," he said.