By Ward Peck

Editor

Concerns about an uncertain economic outlook trumped a desire to move significantly beyond the status quo at Cape Elizabeth schools when the school board approved increasing next year’s school budget 6 percent over the current budget. Whether that 6 percent increase remains fixed is unclear as two other bodies – the town council and voters – have a say in the final number.

The school board-approved budget of $19,919,120 gives Superintendent Alan Hawkins less than half of the $2.5 million in additional spending he originally requested. Hawkins’ original request, which would have raised school spending 13.28 percent, contained roughly $1 million in new staff salary expenses. The revised budget reduces that request by $868,000 and includes an additional $163,541 reduction in current staff salaries. In addition to staffing requests, the revised budget proposal leaves out an additional $336,000 in spending for supplies, books, equipment, stipends, field trips, repairs and other items contained in the original request.

Although Hawkins frequently referred to “cuts” in the budget during his presentation Tuesday night, School Board Chairman Katherine Ray reminded those watching that Hawkins was referring to cuts to his proposed 13.28 percent budget and not to current spending levels.

Among the most significant proposals contained in Hawkins’ revised budget is a plan to shift $34,000 in middle school athletic costs out of the school budget and into the Community Services budget and instituting an ala carte fee structure for participation in middle school sports. Currently middle school athletes pay a flat $45 fee no matter how many, or which sports they participate in.

According to Hawkins’ analysis, most of the 6 percent or $1.13 million increase will be used to cover inflationary increases in the cost of education, including contracted raises, energy and fuel costs and increases for supplies and equipment.

While several parents spoke on both sides of the education spending debate during the public’s opportunity to comment, the most impassioned arguments came from board members themselves.

In making a case for compromise 7.5 percent, or $1.4 million increase, school board members Patricia Brigham and Karen Burke each read from prepared comments in which they spoke of a missed opportunity to provide real investment in education and to establish innovative programs and technology throughout the district. Each expressed frustration that after three years of town council-mandated budget caps, councilors decided to extend inflation-based budget goals to a fourth year. The council has indicated it is looking to limit budget growth to 4.3 percent. However their arguments failed to sway a majority of school board members and their motion failed 3-4 with Rebecca Millet joining the minority.

The four members who voted against the 7.5 percent budget – Ray, Peter Cotter, Jack Kennealy and Linda Winker each expressed anxiety about the crumbling state of the economy – both nationally and on the state level – and how it would affect the town’s taxpayers.

“I don’t disagree with what the board members said,” Ray said. “But I don’t think this is the year to do it.”

Both Cotter and Kennealy expressed their own frustration with the budget process itself and said it needed to be changed.

While Kennealy maintained that there is no established correlation between school spending and student performance, when the motion to approve the 6 percent increase was brought forward, he provided the swing vote allowing it to pass 4-3, with Ray, Winker and Cotter saying they would not support a budget with more than a 5.2 percent increase.

The town council’s finance committee is expected to take up the school budget at joint meetings with the school board scheduled for April 1 and April 9. It is still unclear whether an element of the state’s school consolidation law requiring a public vote on the school budget within 10 days of town council passage will remain in place.