The School Board, with its 5 incumbent "Stay on Course" candidates, is obviously not keen on letting people know before the May 17 Primary Election which programs and budget items will be cut to plug a deficit of over $2.5 million.
The final budget isn't due until June 30, so chances they won't tell you what they'll chop until sometime between May 18 and June 30.
Who knows, maybe they'll won't even tell you then, you'll just have to find out what gets slipped onto (or off of) the agenda right before the vote, or find out what surprises are in the budget that gets voted on.
By the way, the total budget is around $18 million, so $2.5 million is a gaping hole. At nearly 15% of the budget, percentage-wise, Morrisville has the biggest school budget deficit in Bucks County that I've seen. Has anyone seen anything to refute this?
Anyway, what programs and things do you think are toast after May 17?
What suggestions do you have to plug the budget deficit?
29 comments:
I got a suggestion. Nothing against the man himself but eliminate Acting Principal spot currently held by Mr Harm.
That'll save 120,000 in salary + whatever perks. With a 2.5 M deficit, Mr Ferrara can wear that hat too.
thought his salary is only $60,000 but I to have nothing against the man either but i agree Ferrara should fill both positions. Since I don't know were to find line by line amounts in the budget it's hard to say where any can or should be made. I know I where there is about 3 million just sitting there and could plug the hole in on swoop
even if election goes bad on May 17th their going to cut cut cut and cut again all we can hope for is to get them out of office and fix what they have gutted after the November election
I think his salary is 60k, but that's for only 1/2 a yr. A full yr's salary would be 120k.
"I know I where there is about 3 million just sitting there and could plug the hole in on swoop"
I do too. It's the Fund Balance. It's about $3 million. Bill Ferrara has already been hinting about tapping it, because it's substantially higher than 8% of the budget, which is some sort of PA or PDE threshold (8% of the budget would be about $1.5 million).
This Board has already tapped or budgeted to tap this Savings Fund at least 3 times.
This Board is good at using money other people raised or saved to try to make themselves look good.
Here's a Q&A from the PSBA website. See Morrisville's new PSBA rep Marlys Mihok for more details. Then research it yourself to find the real answers.
Q. Are there formal guidelines or standards for a Fund Balance?
A. Guidelines that exist offer three different methods. One relies on a formula where a predetermined number of months (usually one to three months) of operating expenditures are used. The other is used by the three major bond rating agencies - Moody's, Standard & Poor's, and Fitch. The rating agencies recommend between 5% and 10% of current period operating expenditures (budget). Section 688 of the school code says that when the fund balance exceeds between 8 and 12% of expenditures, depending on the size of the budget, the district must consume any fund balance in excess of 8% prior to increasing taxes.
24 PS 6-688 Limitations on certain unreserved fund balances
(a) For the 2005-2006 school year and each school year thereafter, no
school district shall approve an increase in real property taxes unless it has
adopted a budget that includes an estimated ending unreserved,
undesignated fund balance less than the percentages set forth as follows:
Total Budgeted Expenditures Fund Balance % Limit
(less than or equal to)
Less Than or Equal to $11,999,999 12.0
Between $12,000,000 and $12,999,999 11.5
Between $13,000,000 and $13,999,999 11.0
Between $14,000,000 and $14,999,999 10.5
Between $15,000,000 and $15,999,999 10.0
Between $16,000,000 and $16,999,999 9.5
Between $17,000,000 and $17,999,999 9.0
Between $18,000,000 and $18,999,999 8.5
Greater Than or Equal to $19,000,000 8.0
Here's a 3/10/2011 post I made after the 3/9/2011 Superintendent's meeting. It gives an idea of what was "on the table" for chopping a little over 1 month ago. Is anything "off the table" now?
Budget
Paul DeAngelo gave an update on the 2011-12 budget. Our budget deficit, which was pushing $2.5 million, just went up another $269,000 due to Gov. Corbett’s state budget. Thanks, everybody who voted for him!
The $269,000 revenue drop is due to a $114,000 drop in state Basic Education Funding, a $128,000 drop in Charter School funding, and a $27,000 drop in Social Security Reimbursement.
The state kept the Accountability Block Grant (ABG) for Pre-K, but ELIMINATED the funding for:
1. Educational Assistance Program (Tutoring); AND
2. Dual Enrollment Program.
So we can probably kiss these 2 programs goodbye.
Other things that are “on the table” to plug the deficit:
1. Middle School Sports
2. Transportation – considering getting our own vans/buses to cut transportation costs (which Ferrara said were $700,000, but the preliminary budget says are $551,369)
3. Going from Full Day to ½ Day Kindergarten
4. Eliminating all 8 or some of the Grandview Modulars (a.k.a. Trailers) - which probably means another grade or 2 into the High School.
5. Early Retirement Incentive Program (ERIP) for teachers (similar to the one offered 2 years ago, would apply to this year + next year)
6. Offering Severance Packages for “Act 93” employees (Principals. Asst. Principals, Superintendent, Admin. Assts., Dir. of Technology + Assts., Facilities/Maintenance Directors/Supervisors, Accounting, etc.)
7. Eliminating the Large Copier lease done by prior Business Manager (i.e. it's Reba Dunford’s fault)
8. Buying NO supplies next year, or cutting supplies by 25%
9. Assistant Principal – work/pay for only 10½ months of the year
10. Manor Park – re-leasing it, possibly via 21st Century Program. Note: Paul DeAngelo said there are NO plans for Admin. to move into Manor Park.
11. Alternative School – something about doing more Alt. School stuff in-house, getting away from Ombudsman School and I.U., maybe pushing more kids to Del. Valley School
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Didn't Marlys Mihok say she believed there woulld be no cuts in programs in the 2011/12 budget. How can that be with a 2.5 Million shortage?
I didn't hear that. Did she say it at the March Board Business meeting? How many minutes in? I put the link to board meeting videos on here. Otherwise, it's pretty no frills. But I'll tinker with it from time to time.
Anyway, Mihok has a tendency to be wrong. Lying is a less charitable term for it. But there's also the possibility (more like probability) of budget gaming - using conservatively low assumptions on revenues and high assumptions on expenditures to paint the picture of a huge preliminary budget deficit that magically closes by the time the final budget comes up.
We'll see. Time will tell. Board members probably won't - until May 18 at the earliest.
she is making back room promises to buy votes. its a shame some can be bought
Dear Voters- The SOC candidates and their 'friends' seem to believe that if they harrass, threaten and intimidate the businesses and voters of the Borough and steal signs off certain streets that some how this is going to make the Morrisville Matters candidates go away...Hear us LOUD AND CLEAR...Morrisville Matters and their candidates, Kartal, Parker, Miller and Stoneburner are here to stay, we are not backing down and we are not going to stand for these bullying activities including harriassing minors on the street and making side promises! This is our Borough, This is our School, This is our Community and we believe You, the voter, do not want to be lied to any more and you are not going to allow these activities to go on to another election. The Blue and Gold will Prevail...Signed, Morrisville Matters!
@morrisvillematters: What are they saying or doing? If you have proof, state the mis statements clearly and state your position and follow through with legal action. Other wise this is all just political hot air on either side.
Just like Dr. John Gould did to Steve Worob. Cost Worob $120,000.
There is no political hot air from MM. There are several instances, all names etc have been documented, persons identified and proper channels are being contacted.
*Yawn* "all names etc have been documented, persons identified and proper channels are being contacted"
More hot air. Put up or shut up.
It sounds like if MM puts up, it'll totally turn this person around. LOL!
I tend to believe the people that don't lie all the time.
How about Marlys Mihok and Ron Stout followed someone around he was putting fliers on doors. Then MM & RS went up and took the fliers down.
They must be scared.
and Ron as been making threats to any stores that puts up a MM sign and that person Marlis harassed was 17 so Marlis and Ron threated a minor who was so scared he called his parents to get him
"How about Marlys Mihok and Ron Stout followed someone around he was putting fliers on doors. Then MM & RS went up and took the fliers down." TAKE PICTURES FOR GOD'S SAKE! How many cameras are out there on cell phones these days.
"Marlis and Ron threated a minor who was so scared he called his parents to get him " FILE A POLICE REPORT!
Until anyone follows through on these incidents, they are just political hot air and worth nothing.
I believe it. Pictures or video would be nice, but it's hard to get while in the moment. Then people would start debating and dissing and denying what's in the picture/video, claim it's fake, doesn't show anything, blah blah blah.
I believe it, but whether they did these particular things or not, their prior bad track record of lying and bullying is well established.
Stout's got another 2 years on the board. But Mihok can be booted this year, starting with the May 17 primary election.
Does anyone out there have a spine? Stand up to these people!
I have tried to stand up to them. I've used facts and refuted things they have said and done. I've held up their own words for scrutiny. They hate me for it. I'm OK with that. But like the great Regis Philbin, "I'm Only One Man" (available in hardcover from amazon.com for $0.94 new, $0.01 used).
I encourage others to do the same. Others have, but not enough. The Mihoks and Stouts of the world have tons of time on their hands to spread their brand of bullying thuggery.
Like the Wizard of Oz, there's a bunch of fire and bluster, but you find out there ain't much behind the curtain. Big nasty fish in a little pond. Frequently wrong and short on facts and critical thought.
Many people shrink from them. I understand some people don't like confrontation. I don't like it either. But that's what they thrive and count on.
Last time I checked, the whole town didn't belong to them.
The best way to stand up to them is to vote against them and convince everyone that you can to do the same. Be factual when talking to others. The facts are not on there side.
Whether you choose to display a sign or vote quietly we know you support us. Some can intimidate, coerce and maybe even threaten your beliefs but behind the curtain you are safe to make your own decisions and the results will read back loud and clear. We appreciates all the supporters no matter the noise level you select. That is how our country was built and how our borough will continue to reshape as well.
"Ron as been making threats to any stores that puts up a MM sign and that person Marlis harassed was 17 so Marlis and Ron threated a minor who was so scared he called his parents to get him"
This is nothing new. Stout has a history of threatening teenagers. Mihok has a history of treatening just about anyone she doesn't care for.
can't we all just get along
Most can. Some are incorrigible. Mihok & Stout are among the incorrigible. There is no pleasure in saying this. It is sad and despicable.
Post a Comment