Letter: Some clarifications about school budget (May 23, 2008)
Posted by Sentry Editor at 5/23/2008 10:48 AM 
Categories: Opinion, Letters to the editor, Cape News, Budget, Cape schools, Clarifications and Corrections
Categories: Opinion, Letters to the editor, Cape News, Budget, Cape schools, Clarifications and Corrections
Editor:
The recent article regarding the Cape Elizabeth school budget discussed the positions that would be cut from the high school staff. No mention was made of the positions that will be added to the staff within the high school, the middle and elementary schools, and the administration. When new positions are counted, there is a net decrease of only 1.5 full time equivalent positions, not a greater number implied by your article.
The headline also said a teacher “resigned over cuts,” which does not appear to be the case. The teacher, a parent of a graduating senior who will attend college in California, has herself decided to move to California and take a position in California.
The school population next year will decrease by 121 students since 2006. The high school alone has 33 fewer students. The last time the school population was that low was in 1999, when there were 26 fewer full time positions. In three years the Cape schools are projected to lose another 75 students due to declining school age population (a statewide trend).
There has been a suggestion by some that the council has applied a mechanistic approach to the school budget. Nothing could be further from the truth. Municipal spending (non school) will increase 3.4 percent next year. Municipal personnel costs will increase by 2.9 percent, while it appears that school personnel costs will increase by approximately 7 percent (I never could get the exact amount despite several inquiries). The Council Finance Committee approved an increase of 4.6 percent for the school department, and yes, rejected the school board’s 6 percent budget, an increase that exceeds the current inflation rate by 50 percent. Because of the declining student population, with a 4.6 percent budget increase, per pupil spending will increase by 7.9 percent, from $10,551 to $11,388.
Taxpayer money has been wisely spent by the school board. The choice of priorities was validated last year when Cape was one of only three school districts in the state to be granted an exemption from the mandatory school consolidation law. Yes, the school board is expert in running the schools, but their allegiance is only to the school community. Councilors must balance many competing demands for taxpayers’ hard earned money. Our job is to see that sufficient funds are available to provide the myriad of services that residents and taxpayers’ demand. There are limited resources and, thus, hard choices must be made. I believe that a budget increase of 4.6 percent, in light of declining enrollment, is adequate to maintain the quality of education in Cape Elizabeth’s schools.
Mary Ann Lynch
Cape Elizabeth Town Council Chairman
The recent article regarding the Cape Elizabeth school budget discussed the positions that would be cut from the high school staff. No mention was made of the positions that will be added to the staff within the high school, the middle and elementary schools, and the administration. When new positions are counted, there is a net decrease of only 1.5 full time equivalent positions, not a greater number implied by your article.
The headline also said a teacher “resigned over cuts,” which does not appear to be the case. The teacher, a parent of a graduating senior who will attend college in California, has herself decided to move to California and take a position in California.
The school population next year will decrease by 121 students since 2006. The high school alone has 33 fewer students. The last time the school population was that low was in 1999, when there were 26 fewer full time positions. In three years the Cape schools are projected to lose another 75 students due to declining school age population (a statewide trend).
There has been a suggestion by some that the council has applied a mechanistic approach to the school budget. Nothing could be further from the truth. Municipal spending (non school) will increase 3.4 percent next year. Municipal personnel costs will increase by 2.9 percent, while it appears that school personnel costs will increase by approximately 7 percent (I never could get the exact amount despite several inquiries). The Council Finance Committee approved an increase of 4.6 percent for the school department, and yes, rejected the school board’s 6 percent budget, an increase that exceeds the current inflation rate by 50 percent. Because of the declining student population, with a 4.6 percent budget increase, per pupil spending will increase by 7.9 percent, from $10,551 to $11,388.
Taxpayer money has been wisely spent by the school board. The choice of priorities was validated last year when Cape was one of only three school districts in the state to be granted an exemption from the mandatory school consolidation law. Yes, the school board is expert in running the schools, but their allegiance is only to the school community. Councilors must balance many competing demands for taxpayers’ hard earned money. Our job is to see that sufficient funds are available to provide the myriad of services that residents and taxpayers’ demand. There are limited resources and, thus, hard choices must be made. I believe that a budget increase of 4.6 percent, in light of declining enrollment, is adequate to maintain the quality of education in Cape Elizabeth’s schools.
Mary Ann Lynch
Cape Elizabeth Town Council Chairman
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