Last week I presented the proposed budget to the Board. This is the first step in a three-month public process that ends with a referendum vote on June 10. Here's some brief highlights:
- Total expenditures are up 7.47% over the current year, with 87% of this increase due to increases in staff salaries/benefits per contract negotiations.
- Tax increases for education are estimated at 5% in Cumberland and 4% in North Yarmouth, with both expected to drop over the next few weeks.
- Almost 74% of the budget goes directly to instruction, up 2% over the current year and far higher than the state average of 68%.
- New priorities/requests include safety and security, enrollment increases, instructional support, and operations, with $1,297,694 in new requests. Priorities are connected to the district's Strategic Plan in most cases.
- Enrollment priorities would add 2 new teaching positions at GMS 6-8 to respond to enrollment increases there, along with an additional 2-room modular unit at GMS.
- Safety priorities include purchasing Crisis Alert, a full-scale alert system that is now being used in many schools throughout the nation, including neighboring Yarmouth. This is the second year now that the Safety/Security Committee has advocated for this item in the budget. To learn more: Crisis Alert.
- In order to keep expenditures at a reasonable level, a number of reductions to the current budget are proposed, including eliminating 3 teacher/specialist positions. These positions are being reduced after reorganization of existing programs and services and it is my plan to accomplish this without a reduction-in-force.
- Given the large increase in fixed costs, we were unable to fund half of the priority requests submitted by schools and departments, leaving $1,170,700 on the table.
- Below are the six major drivers of the proposed budget with corresponding increases:
