WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. December 10, 2008 UPDATED 10:30 P.M.: Expressing fears that the 2009-2010 school budget process was going to be difficult, outgoing Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors (retiring June 30) announced the entire city of White Plains would be invited to two public forums or “cafes’” to make suggestions and offer their strategies, and give the Board of Education input on budget priorties.
The two forums replace the Annual Budget Committee of 30 persons who annually met the previous decade to aid the district in shaping a budget that the district has passed annually for years with no votedowns ever that this reporter remembers. But the 2008 budget vote was closer than ever, passing by 105 votes.
The 2009-2010 White Plains City School District budget, is predicted by the CitizeNetReporter to approach $200 Million if school spending follows past trends and city assessments remain the same. The budget has been averaging 7% growth and 8% growth in school taxes for the last decade. The taxes paid by the median house in White Plains ( selling for $700,000) now top $12,600 and are on track to top $15,000 in 2009-2010, at the present rate.
Connors Calls on Entire White Plains Community to Hammer Out the School Budget at two forums Thursday, January 8 and Thursday, February 26.
Connors said that traditionally the community input has been given by a committee of 30 or so prominent businesspersons, realtors, involved parents, educators most long time residents of White Plains. Previously, the ABC Committee has made suggestions as to ways the budget could be trimmed. Most cuts came out of ABC Committee opposition, but the committee rarely objected strenuously or had the fortitude to challenge and ease the ahead-of-inflation pace of the White Plains school budgets the last decade.
Arguably their most impactful decision was rejecting Superintendent of Schools Connors’ suggestion to establish the district’s own division for educating developmentally disabled. Connors saw it as a service not only for White Plains diabled youth, but as a profit center for the district that would attract children from other districts and pay for itself through tuition paid the district. The ABC Committee rejected that.
The Annual Budget Committee meeting February 7, 2008. The Committee usually held about 3 to 4 meetings per year, plus public hearings held by the school district. By cutting down to two Budget Forums and two Public Hearings, there could conceivably be less scrutiny by the public, due to the public lack of familiarity with the School Budget and the way it is set up. Even the ABC Committee which consisted of virtually the same group each, give or take several new faces, for all their familiarity were not as knowledgeable of the school budget pressures, and spoke mainly from the heart, with a few exceptions.
This committee of 30, known as the Annual Budget Committee will not be convened this year, however former members will be invited to participate. The Budget Forums will feature presentation of the budget, gathering of citizen reaction, and based on what the citizens say about how the budget should be put together, the Board will attempt to formulate the budget.
Connors said, “we know it’s going to be a difficult year (financially). We’re going to invite all residents to contribute what ideas they have…There are no sacred items. We’ll look at everything within the schools.”
The first “Budget Forum” will be held January 8, and the second, February 26. He said there would be two public hearings on the budget also on March 9 and May 11, with the budget vote scheduled for May 19. Details to follow.
Connors said the Finance Committee would see his first “run-through” on the school budget December 23. Connors said the idea for inviting all the public to participate in budget policy decisions was suggested by the finance committee.
