TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

District Faces Bleak Budget

ADVERTISEMENT

By RONNIE BLAIR

rblair@tampatrib.com

Published: October 8, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - The bad news that the Pasco County School Board heard Tuesday surprised no one.

The outlook for school district budgets is bleak and relief is nowhere in sight.

"It's what we've been telling them," Superintendent Heather Fiorentino said.

Wayne Blanton, executive director of the Florida School Boards Association, led the Pasco board in a workshop on the state budget, saying that in 34 years he's never seen anything as financially dismal as what school districts face now.

Districts across the state are struggling to cut expenses, most school employees have seen little or no raises, and hopes of riding out the storm anytime soon could be dashed by a 2009-2010 budget projection that looks to be even worse, he said.

When the Legislature puts together its next budget in March, the estimated revenues are going to be about $3.5 billion less than estimated costs, Blanton said.

If that's the case, something will have to give because the state constitution requires a balanced budget.

The Legislature generally has cut spending to balance the budget, but the Florida School Boards Association is recommending a 1-cent increase in the state sales tax that would sunset in four years.

The association estimates the tax increase could bring in the $3.5 billion needed to bring revenues in line with expenditures. The Legislature could then avoid more cuts to state programs, including education.

"That doesn't enhance education," Blanton said. "That keeps education exactly where it is today."

The association also is pushing the Legislature to consider restoring some of the taxes that have been eliminated over the past few years, including a tax on intangibles assets such as stocks and mutual funds, and a liquor-by-the-drink tax.

Assisting Blanton with the workshop was Max Schmidt, executive director of the Florida School Labor Relations Service. Schmidt reported that school employees throughout Florida aren't seeing much, if anything, extra in their paychecks this year.

Schmidt said he tracked contract negotiations in 63 of the 67 school districts.

He said 15 districts have put their negotiations on hold until November or December when more state budget cuts are expected. School districts have been told to hold back 2 percent of their budgets in anticipation of those cuts.

Just 12 districts have reached contract agreements, in many cases giving the employees their step increases based on years of service, but no additional raises.

Pasco is among the districts still negotiating. Last month, employees packed a school board budget hearing to urge the board to fund raises and step increases.

The employees union and the school district have continued to negotiate contract language unrelated to salaries. But any talk about raises and step increases has been postponed at least until later this month after an official head count to determine the district's enrollment.

State funding is based on the number of students, and Fiorentino has said Pasco appears to have grown by about 1,000 fewer students than anticipated. If that turns out to be the case, it could cost the district about $4 million.

The Pasco negotiations grew a bit testy this week. Lynne Webb, president of United School Employees of Pasco, told the school board that a district negotiator accused the union of putting on a "dog and pony show" during a Monday evening bargaining session.

She saw it as an unfair way to characterize the union's effort to make contract proposals.

"That's our duty," Webb said. "That's our legal responsibility. That's not a dog and pony show."

Webb also said the slow-moving contract negotiations are starting to have a real effect on employees. The period to sign up for benefits is going on now, but employees don't know what the benefits package will be and whether they can afford to insure their families.

"Our teachers and other school employees are feeling extreme anxiety and deserve to know what to expect," Webb said.

Reporter Ronnie Blair can be reached at (813) 948-4218.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT