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School Officials Must Face Harsh Reality Of Current Budget Cuts

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 11, 2008

If Pasco County schools Superintendent Heather Fiorentino can persuade the school board to avoid a single layoff, maintain current salaries and not touch any classroom programs to combat an anticipated $16 million budget shortfall, she should be administrator of the year.

Yet, that's what Fiorentino wants to do. She should be commended for not wanting to hurt people's livelihoods or do anything to impact the classroom, but she needs to be flexible - and realistic.

The Legislature's property-tax cutting efforts have forced numerous governments, including Pasco County, to eliminate positions, let workers go and reduce services. The depressed economy has resulted in much of the private sector taking the same steps.

And it could get worse.

With a budget of more than $1 billion, it should be easy to find $16 million to slash without affecting employees and classroom programs, you may think. But it won't be, considering Fiorentino's goals.
Personnel costs account for 85 percent of the school district's general fund; the other 15 percent can't be touched because of state mandates. And already, the Pasco district has some of the lowest administrative costs in the state.

Still, there are obvious steps the district can take to cut spending. Ending lawn crew contracts could save $1.2 million, and doing away with outside consultants could spare another $3.2 million, based on 2007-08 costs. And using less paper could save more than $600,000. These are logical reductions that wouldn't harm education.

Parents also should be willing to consider paying more for athletics and other activities outside the classroom. Doing so would be much better than having them eliminated altogether.

But Fiorentino - and the school board - shouldn't be afraid to reduce personnel costs, either, during this fiscal crisis.

For instance, the board provides free health insurance to workers, who have to pay extra for their families. If employees were required to pay $50 a month toward their benefits, however, that could save about $6 million. A $100-a-month charge would amount to $12.1 million. Even $25 a month would save a little more than $3 million.

Sure, it could be tough on workers, but if it came to the possibility of not having a job, smart employees would be glad to pay. Workers shouldering more of the cost of their benefits would help protect the well-rounded educational experience of students that Fiorentino also doesn't want to reduce.

And here's another option Fiorentino and the board shouldn't overlook: holding back some salary increases, which would save about $5.8 million. Eligible workers won't like it, but the district's hand is being forced by the Legislature.

Fiorentino and the board shouldn't let the union sway their thinking too much on personnel issues. Fiorentino and board members are the ones who must answer to taxpayers, not the union. And that's how they should operate about deciding where to cut.

School officials obviously face a difficult task. Pasco is one of very few Florida school districts still growing - an estimated 1,387 new students are expected next school year. Yet the district is facing a $16 million shortfall. It's unfair.

Clearly, sacrifices will have to be made, and businesses and parents will have to help even more. But if Fiorentino is serious when she says that ultimately, "nothing's off the table," she needs to evaluate positions and benefits - recurring costs - and put them under the microscope, too. That's just being realistic, considering reductions in revenue.

Taxpayers, who have demanded relief and are getting it, will expect no less.

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