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10/19/2007
This is not doomsday in the Appleton School District
… and the sky is not falling and the world will not come to an end tomorrow. Though plenty of school officials have joined the oh-my-gosh-no-budget lament, the Appleton Area School District (AASD) is taking things with a grain of salt. Well, perhaps not a grain of salt, but not losing much sleep, anyway.
Todd Gray, Assistant Superintendent for Business Services, Appleton Area School District, takes all this budget stuff in stride. When he was kind enough to review the school budget with me about a month ago, Gray said he’s been through delayed budgets too many times to get all upset about it. He had DPI’s estimated aids amount issued in July and expected that would be pretty close to what the state would provide for the 2008-2009 school year.
Weeks and weeks have passed and Gray isn’t nervous, but maybe a bit concerned. He’s optimistic, but frustrated and powerless – looking from the outside in at the skirmishes of the legislature and governor. All the state representatives in the area surely know he’d like to have money appropriated – and soon. Gray said if legislators and the governor were in Appleton schools, they’d all be serving detentions!
Consider: - The difference between last year’s numbers (now the official aid numbers) and the school aids AASD would be awarded under the pending budget, is a need for an extra $1.1 million.
- Gray says at this late date, he and the school board simply can’t adjust the budget, which would require squeezing more than $1 million in spending.
- He also says he can’t add those dollars to the levy – the community wouldn’t stand for it.
- And being the optimistic guy he is, Gray needs to believe the legislature will come to its senses and at least pass AB 506 and 507, the school and municipal aid bills passed by the Assembly, but which the Senate is refusing to take up. [That Senate refusal makes absolutely no sense….] To get the $1.1M now would most likely require a statutory extension of a few deadline dates – which could happen easily enough. But… one of the days this year, tax bills do need to be printed and mailed. There’s just no way to get around that.
So, here’s what it comes down to. 25 bucks.
Republican legislators I spoke with today are more committed than ever to hold the line at more than a 6% increase in spending over two years, using $1.1 billion in projected natural revenue growth. The point being, it’s very possible that sky-is-falling rhetoric won’t move Republicans committed to no new taxes and no new programs.
So yup, that means to fund our school district here in Appleton, property taxpayers would take it on the chin this year – we’ll have to fund that extra $1.1 million being held up by the Senate. For a $150,000 home, that’s about 25 extra bucks. I’m not saying that’s not much money. And I’m not saying the Senate shouldn’t be pressured to take up AB 506 or the legislature shouldn’t be pressured to pass a no-new-taxes budget.
But when you hear that your school district’s world is coming apart if a budget isn’t passed … just think about those 25 bucks. Post Script: Just announced today, Gray is leaving AASD for the Oshkosh School District. The district will miss him.
COMMENTS
You say that $25 isn't much. That's right but, what about the people with a $400 or $500,000 house. That will be an extra $100-125. That money could cover a trip up to the cottage for the weekend, a n ice bottle of wine or even a ticket to a Packer game. Does that seem fair? ;-)
Can't interpret your tenor here Fritz. I don't like to talk "fair" or "not fair." I like to talk - is it right? So, is it right? It's going to come out of one tax pocket or the other. Is it right for the Senate to take up AB 506 and AB 507? Yes. Is it right to settle a budget with new taxes? No. JE
Fritz V (Fri Oct 19 13:55:56 2007)
Jo,
I'm saying that in a somewhat sarcastic mode. Adding to the "sky is not falling"
Things would be so much better if more politicians would just do their jobs the way they were intended to be done and cut out the BS. I could go on and on with my remarks.. but, to no avail. So, why bother.
Ok, I thought I picked up the sarcasm! Can we agree the sky is not falling? Yes, just do their jobs. I hear you. I believe Speaker Huebsch and crew are doing their jobs in trying to rein in increases in spending in the state budget. I appreciate what they're doing. JE
Fritz V (Fri Oct 19 14:34:05 2007)
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