School budget gets breathing room, fewer cuts

By Ryan Davis
Daily Hampshire Gazette
Friday, May 26, 2006

NORTHAMPTON - The city's newly negotiated health insurance plan will mean substantially fewer budget cuts for the school department's proposed $26 million budget than had been anticipated.

One of the cuts on the table is a popular instrumental music program in the elementary schools, whose elimination will save $17,500.

Ward 6 School Committee representative Lisa Minnick said that although losing the instrumental program is unfortunate, this year's slate of cuts is 'painless' compared to past years when dozens of staff positions were eliminated.

School Committee members and City Councilors discussed the budget plan at their annual joint budget meeting Thursday.

The district is now looking to trim $225,000 from its proposed budget by increasing fees and eliminating a total of five positions. Earlier this month, before the insurance change was finalized, the School Committee had been looking at a $530,000 gap.

With the savings from the new insurance plan, the district now expects to receive $1.48 million more from the city than it did for the current year. The school department had requested $1.65 million more to maintain the same level of services for the coming year.

The news 'is pretty amazing,' said school business manager Susan Wright.

Although the difference between the increase in the city appropriation and the request is only $165,000, the total budget gap is now $225,000 due to contract extension for three school unions that were approved on Thursday (see sidebar).

Much of the discussion of the budget plan focused on the instrumental music program, in which students who have their own instruments are pulled out of class once a week to practice.

Superintendent Isabelina Rodriguez Babcock said all four elementary principals recommended cutting the program rather than other positions. They argued that not all students can participate in the program, pulling students out of class is disruptive, and cutting it wouldn't affect as many students as cutting a teaching job.

She said the district will look into maintaining the program as an after-school activity.

During the public comment session, Keith Davis of Stone Ridge Drive said both of his daughters had benefited from instrumental music.

The fact that it could be cut 'really saddens me and my youngest daughter,' he said. 'I urge you to find a way to maintain this program.'

Davis found substantial support for his position among members of the City Council, such as Ward 6 councilor Marianne LaBarge, who said that the idea of cutting the program 'really bothers me.'

The budget proposal now on the table also calls for:

increasing the school bus fee from $180 to $210, generating $12,000

increasing the athletic fee for high school students from $75 to $125 for the first sport, $100 for the second sport and $75 for the third sport, with a cap of $500 per family, and increasing ticket prices for sporting events, generating $40,000

eliminating four aide positions in the elementary schools, saving $62,000

cutting the supply budget by $20,000

The School Committee has the final say on the school budget, which must be finalized before the start of the fiscal year on July 1.

Mass. Senate approves $25.4 bln budget

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Massachusetts Senate approved a $25.4 billion budget for fiscal 2007 which boosts local and education aid, gradually cuts the state income tax and raises the minimum wage, a Senate spokeswoman said on Friday.

The Senate vote late on Thursday is one of the steps in the budget approval process for the year that starts July 1. The House approved its version of the budget in April.

The Senate budget lifts the previous cap for distribution of lottery aid to cities and towns and increases the so-called Chapter 70 aid for schools by $210 million. Chapter 70 aid is school funds for local communities.

"We have made substantial investment in two out of the three funds that go toward communities to help them run their schools, police departments, firefighting and first response teams," said Ann Dufresne, spokeswoman for Senate President Robert E. Travaglini.

Senators also approved a minimum wage increase to $7.50 per hour starting September 1 from the current level of $6.75 per hour. In 2007, it will rise to $8.25 per hour and starting in 2008, the minimum wage will be adjusted for inflation annually.

Lawmakers also agreed to cut the state income tax to 5 percent over the next three years, provided the state first brings its education and local aid funding to the 2002 level.

In 2000, voters overwhelmingly passed a referendum to reduce the income tax rate to 5 percent from 5.95 percent, but the Legislature froze the rate at 5.3 percent in the midst of a financial crisis.

Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has called on the Legislature to roll the income tax rate back to 5 percent.

The House version does not include proposals for the minimum wage increase and for the tax cut.

Both branches of the legislature will have to name a conference committee that should reconcile differences between the House and Senate budgets before the document goes to Romney for a signature.

Budget emerging, Spending up, tax cut out in state Senate plan

Thursday, May 18, 2006

BOSTON (AP) - Senate leaders unveiled their budget plan for the new fiscal year Wednesday, proposing extra spending on schools, local aid and health care - but rebuffing Gov. Mitt Romney's call for a cut in the state income tax rate.

The $25.4 billion spending plan boosts education aid to cities and towns by more than $210 million dollars and funds the state's new commitments under the landmark health care law approved earlier this year, according to Senate Ways and Means Chairwoman Therese Murray.

The Senate plan would increase spending on higher education by more than $57 million, including $31 million for state and community colleges and more than $26 million for the University of Massachusetts. It would also let the colleges keep all fees and tuition instead of funneling the money back through the state.

The budget is a 6.3 percent increase in spending over the current year, but is about $30 million lower than the final House budget plan approved last month, said Murray, D-Plymouth, who called the plan ''responsible and balanced.''

Once the Senate approves the budget, both the Senate and House versions head to a six-member conference committee charged with hammering out a final compromise version to send to Romney's desk. The new fiscal year begins July 1.

Senators also want to spend more than $1 million for the state Office of Dam Safety to help speed inspection and regulation of the state's 3,000 dams, which are under renewed focus with recent heavy rains and flooding.

Senate Democrats had faulted Gov. Mitt Romney for only asking for about half as much for the dam safety office. They said the recent flooding shows the need for better oversight of the state's dams.

House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi said House members are also interested in ensuring that the state's dams are secure.

''We have to address that issue based on the evidence that's presented to us,'' said DiMasi, D-Boston. ''We will respond with the proper amount of money.''

Murray defended the decision to ignore Romney's proposal to cut the state income tax rate from 5.3 percent to 5 percent.

''We felt we would rather invest the money in education and higher education and health,'' said Murray, D-Plymouth.

Romney said taxpayers are overdue for the cut.

He pointed to a 2000 ballot question overwhelmingly approved by voters to cut the tax rate from 5.95 percent to 5 percent. Lawmakers later froze the cut at 5.3 percent. He also said the state is on track to bring in $1.4 billion more than estimated for the current fiscal year.

''How we cannot justify a tax cut to the level that was voted by the citizens is something I can't understand,'' Romney said Wednesday.

The plan would also pay for a new 60-bed substance abuse program and increase the salaries of assistant district attorneys.

The state's district attorneys had lobbied hard for the extra money in the Senate plan, which would allow them to increase the pay of assistant district attorneys by up to 10 percent. They said the low pay has made it hard to keep young attorneys feeling the pressure to pay back student loans.

Cuts, fee hikes still likely for schools

Sunday, May 14, 2006
By NANCY H. GONTER
Springfield Republican

NORTHAMPTON - School Committee members expressed relief that the budget picture for next year will not be as bleak as it once was but said cuts and fee increases are still likely.

In April, the School Committee had learned it might have to cut more than $800,000 from its $26.5 million budget. Now it appears that approximately $530,000 will have to be cut.

Committee members hope that a proposal from the state Senate to increase education aid will eventually be approved. That proposal calls for Northampton to get $6.8 million from the state, a 5 percent increase.

"Our current state of affairs is less bleak because of the Senate's very generous allocation, but it's a still long way to go (before it's approved)," School Committee Vice Chairman Lucy G. Hartry said on Friday.

"It's still not enough. While it's a very generous amount, it's still not everything we need," Hartry said.

Besides the possibility of reducing the number of teachers or classroom aides, the committee is considering increasing fees as well as asking parents to send school supplies to school with their children at the start of the year, Hartry said.

Some changes under consideration are increasing the fee to ride the bus from $180 to $210 a year and doubling the athletic fee, from $75 to $150.

"It's certainly still possible that teachers or paraprofessionals will need to be laid off," Hartry said.

The School Committee is hoping to approve the budget at its meeting on June 22, at 7:15 p.m., but a vote could be delayed until June 29. The vote must be taken by the end of June, Hartry said.

Besides discussing the budget, the committee heard a report from Superintendent Isabelina Rodriguez Babcock about the activities she's participated in and efforts she has made to reach the five goals she had set for herself, Hartry said.

That presentation is the first step in the process of evaluating the superintendent. Each committee member has been asked to fill out individual evaluations by May 25. After the evaluation is complete, the committee will consider any pay increases, Hartry said.

Senate's education aid figures

The Senate has proposed the largest-ever increase in state education aid to communities and school districts for the fiscal year that starts July 1. Here are local figures.

COMMUNITY FY2006 FY2007 INCREASE
Amherst $5,572,787 $5,940,831 5.3%
Ashfield $66,553 $70,712 5.4%
Belchertown $9,504,784 $10,459,857 5.0%
Chesterfield $85,640 $87,186 5.8%
Cummington $32,728 $40,051 8.2%
Deerfield $712,360 $919,657 7.7%
Easthampton $7,061,164 $7,223,524 9.8%
Goshen $71,847 $72,297 9.9%
Granby $3,480,552 $3,783,978 9.2%
Hadley $625,061 $689,986 9.1%
Hatfield $619,676 $680,586 9.1%
Huntington $89,877 $141,846 6.3%
Leverett $223,181 $235,520 9.5%
Northampton $6,574,010 $6,878,748 9.6%
Plainfield $18,987 $29,968 6.3%
Shutesbury $465,653 $524,713 8.9%
Southampton $2,294,612 $2,403,792 9.5%
South Hadley $5,531,820 $5,762,688 9.6%
Sunderland $843,699 $853,199 9.9%
Whately $131,053 $167,006 7.8%
Williamsburg $359,184 $394,134 9.1%
Worthington $69,958 $70,458 9.9%

SCHOOL DISTRICTS
Northampton-Smith $738,534 $855,835 8.6%
Amherst-Pelham $9,343,785 $9,653,686 9.7%
Chesterfield-Goshen$646,741 $714,855 9.0%
Frontier $2,650,507 $2,734,996 9.7%
Gateway $5,377,752 $5,789,584 9.3%
Hampshire $2,426,572 $2,668,482 9.1%
Mohawk Trail $5,972,084 $6,034,784 9.9%

Cuts, fee hikes still likely for schools

May 10, 2006

Daily Hampshire Gazette

NORTHAMPTON - Cuts to the school budget will once again be up for discussion at Thursday's School Committee meeting, as board members seek ways to cover an estimated $800,000 shortfall.

Ideas already on the table from administrators include increasing the fee to ride the bus from $180 per student to $210 and doubling the athletic fee for high school students, currently $75.

Those plans are estimated to generate about $70,000, far less than the budget gap, so eliminating staff positions remains likely.

School Superintendent Isabelina Rodriguez Babcock plans to give an update on the budget situation Thursday and possibly offer proposals for other areas to cut.

The total school budget for the current year is $24.5 million.

School officials have requested $1.6 million more from the city to maintain the same level of services, due to fixed costs such as raises guaranteed in the teachers' contract and special education costs.

Mayor Clare Higgins says the city should be able to increase spending on the schools by between $780,000 and $1.18 million, with cuts to make up the difference.

Also on Thursday, the district's Civil Rights Committee will give a presentation about the work over the past year on issues like the achievement gap between white and minority students. The calendar for the next school year should also be finalized by the board.

The meeting at JFK Middle School begins at 7:15 p.m. with a public comment session.

About

Northampton, like most cities and towns, faces a fiscal crisis, which creates a crisis in education. These crises have been intensified by lack of funding for basic human and social services. We need to rework our tax structure to fund essential services like education. We cannot solve our local problems without addressing state and federal elected officials.

NEAT is an ever-growing group of parents, staff and interested citizens who are organizing around budgets and taxes for public education. We want to stop the cuts, cut corporate tax loopholes and build a solid base to fund education. We work with other groups across the state who are seeking similar goals.


Our Mission

NEAT is an organization of parents and other interested Northampton residents who are committed to funding public education through:

1. organizing for fair taxation;
2. lobbying for political action at the local, state and federal levels; and
3. mobilizing other like-minded people and groups across the state.