Is the budget for fiscal year 2012-13 already final?
No, it’s in process. When the Board of Education approved its budget for 2011-12 last June, it spoke of the strong possibility of a structural deficit the following year (2012-13) due to rising costs of operating the school system even as revenues have declined. Over the summer and into the fall, the Superintendent and staff began planning how to continue providing high quality education services in Wicomico schools despite a projected structural budget deficit of $5 million to $7 million. This financial information was shared with the community through budget awareness and input sessions, PTA meetings, and presentations in other forums.
The Board of Education held a budget input session Jan. 5, and is now beginning a series of work sessions on the budget. These work sessions are open to the public, though public comment is not taken during work sessions. By state law, the Board must adopt a proposed budget and submit it to the County Executive by March 15. Both the County Executive and the Wicomico County Council will hold public meetings at which the public can comment on the draft county budget, which will include funding for Wicomico County Public Schools. The Board of Education will hold a second budget hearing on May 24. Once the County budget has been approved, the Board will meet to adopt a final budget prior to the start of the new budget year on July 1.
Can I still give input on the budget?
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Who invented the term "structural deficit"? It doesn't seem to be anything more than a budget that is not balanced. The Governor fixed his structural deficit by borrowing more money. I just have trouble dealing with this. I mean, if you spend more than you have, how does borrowing money (which spends even more) fix anything?
ReplyDeleteYeah, I know, if a Governor doesn't submit a balanced budget, he can be recalled/impeached so we gotta call it something different.
I'll be glad when Obama leaves office next year and we can begin to straighten out the mess the current bunch in office have gotten us into.
Please contact the WCBOE members and convince them not to renew Dr. Fredericksen's contract.
ReplyDeleteMarvin Blye - Mblye@wcboe.org
Tyrone Chase - tchase@shoreup.org
Larry Dodd - lwd7734@comcast.net
Carolyn Elmore - cjelmore@comcast.net
Donald Fitzgerald - donfitz64@comcast.net
Ronald Willey - row76@comcast.net
Michelle Wright - michelle@wrightsmarket.com
SO what "budget" does the monetary end of lawsuits against WCBOE come from?
ReplyDeleteAlso, what "budget" does the money come from when WCBOE special education department takes a parent to court just to avoid paying for an evaluation of an already classified special education student? Seems it sure would make more "budget crisis" sense to pay for an evaluation instead of wasting $1000s on attorney fees over a several day hearing!
Special education is a joke in this county.
ReplyDeleteI agree with 1:22. They write generic phrases, make the data fit whichever way they would like it to, and aren't capable of providing needed services. I have met some fantastic special education teachers, but they are limited by the controlling central office special education department. The need to be replaced with people who actually care about the students and have the knowledge to make sure they are provided appropriate services!
ReplyDeleteLast year the Board listed possible cuts in six tiers, supposedly as a blueprint for the public to know the order of cuts depending on the exact amount of the budget. The school resource officers were in tier six (#140), the last category that was to be touched--as Dr. F. said, that category would not be touched except in case of nuclear meltdown. Safety is our top priority, he assured the crowds. Amazingly deputies in schools moved to tier one this summer and a middle school in a troubled neighborhood lost its deputy the day teachers returned to begin the school year. Parents and community agencies worked together to reinstate the position but did ask how a tier six (only in case of nuclear meltdown) moved to a tier one. The Board never did explain it but felt very uncomfortable when legitimate questions were asked so their solution this year is not to be more honest, it's to not have tiers. Sad and predictable. They get all offended like we're asking about a change from #3 to #4 or something. The change they made was huge, dangerous and totally the opposite of what he had said.
ReplyDelete