Crowd vs. Cuts
JACKSON TWP — Seneca Valley Superintendent Donald Tylinski said Monday that he's compiled a $10.3 million package of cuts and other savings measures that are needed to bridge a $10 million operating deficit.
The district has a preliminary 2011-12 budget that plans for $89 million in revenue but $99 million in expenditures, a gap that must be bridged before the school board can approve a final budget.
None of the cuts discussed Monday by Tylinski is final, and school board members will work in the coming months to fine tune the superintendent's recommendations. Tylinski said he expects a final budget to be approved in June.
More than 250 people attended the board meeting, while 19 parents and students made personal pleas to the board not to cut their programs.
Most of those speakers lobbied the board to rethink plans to cut the JROTC program as well as the middle school cross country and track and field teams.
Cuts are necessary because the district is facing millions of dollars in decreased funding and subsidies from the state. The district also is facing increased costs from the retirement system as well as from honoring contracts made with employees.
Board President Robert Hill said Monday that in his 12 years on the board, he'd never seen such a large crowd attend a budget meeting.
Hill said he knows the cuts will be deep and painful for some students and parents, but added that when the state government swings its ax at school districts, sometimes there's “nothing to cut but the bone.”
The board president urged the hundreds of taxpayers in attendance to contact state politicians to express their frustration over the drastic cuts in funding. He said he would make available on the district's website the names and addresses of every politician whose district covers the school district.
“You need to all realize that this school board is not the only culpable party here,” he said.
Tylinski spoke about the numerous options facing the board concerning cuts in programs, classes and jobs.
Some of the biggest savings could come from early retirement incentives offered to dozens of employees, moves that could save $2.88 million.
Among those who already have accepted the early retirement incentive are 36 teachers.
Savings also could be realized by furloughing employees while some positions won't be filled after employees leave.
Officials also previously explored the possibility of raising the district's property tax rate anywhere from 1.6 to 5.6 mills. The current tax rate is 100 mills.
If officials move to increase the tax rate by more than 1.6 mills, the district would need approval from the state Department of Education. Tylinski said he expects to hear back from the state by the end of March concerning that proposal.While raising the tax rate by 5.6 mills would be at the high end of what school officials have suggested, the move could potentially bring in an additional $2.75 million to the district.Another cost-cutting measure includes slashing each building's budget by 20 percent, which could save $400,000.A 20 percent cut in the district's athletic department budget also is possible, as well as the elimination of the school's seventh grade football team, the JROTC program and the seventh and eighth grade cross country and track and field teams, a move that would affect hundreds of students.Tylinski also spoke about the possibility of leasing 142 acres owned by the school to a Marcellus Shale drilling company, property that is in both Cranberry and Jackson townships. He didn't offer a monetary figure on how much that lease could be worth.Administrators have taken a pay freeze, a move that will put $181,000 back into the budget.School board member Joseph Scalamogna said Monday the board should also petition the teacher's union to voluntarily freeze teacher pay for a year to save some programs from the chopping block.The superintendent talked about more than a dozen smaller cuts, including the possibility of abandoning a plan to build a new press box at the high school's football field. Other cuts included raising parking rates for students, eliminating other staff positions and eliminating the Alliance Against Drugs program.A mix of students and parents addressed the school board with their concerns over the proposed cuts.Dave Hall, a parent from Cranberry Township, suggested school officials petition businesses like Westinghouse Electric Co. to help pay for sports programs that may be cut.He also urged caution in cutting lesser known sports programs such as cross country and track and field that teach children the values of teamwork, camaraderie and endurance.“We have a first rate school district here,” Hall said. “Let's try not to move backward. I'm tired of the little guys always getting cut, cut, cut.”Alex Taylor, a freshman cross country and track participant, lightened the tense mood Monday by offering his own take on the cuts.He said he knows the cuts are necessary and that board members face hard decisions in choosing which programs to cut, but he too pleaded for officials not to look at cross country and track and field first when deciding what to cut.“Why is it always (cutting) the running sports?” he said. “Does Seneca Valley have a vendetta against intense cardio workouts?”The board will resume discussions on the proposed cuts at its meeting in April.
