The Octorara Area School District will present to the community in January a preliminary $47,829,317 budget which is up $1.8 million, or nearly 4 percent, over this year’s spending plan.
Business Manager Dan Carsley said the numbers are preliminary, and there is a great deal of information to be gathered both before and after Jan. 17, the evening the school board is scheduled to approve the preliminary budget.
“The revenues are what they are,“ said Superintendent Tom Newcome. “The only way we can balance it is through expenses,” Newcome said, adding he will make recommendations for cuts during the next few months.
One factor certain to play a part in 2011 budget deliberations is teacher salaries. The school board’s contract with the Octorara Area Education Association ends in June, and formal salary negotiations are scheduled to begin in January.
Carsley said other factors which have negatively impacted revenues are: higher health care costs and contributions to PSERs, a decline in local real estate revenue and federal stimulus funds, and increasing costs to cover charter school tuition.
“You know that (budget) is not going to fly,” said board member Sam Ganow at the Dec. 13 meeting.
Board president Lisa Bowman said January‘s vote will be “the beginning of a very long process.” The school board must adopt a final budget in June.
If adopted as is, which officials say is unlikely, Lancaster County taxpayers would see an 8 percent millage increase, to 30.38 mills. Chester County taxpayers would have a 6.66 percent mill increase to 37.46mills.
On the revenue side, the preliminary proposed budget calls for: $34,517,013 in local revenue;$11,166,058 in state revenue; and $1,141,000 in federal revenue.
As for expenses, the district anticipates spending $18,747,180 for regular instruction; $7,108,916 for special education; $1,642,324 for vocational education; $755,954 for other instruction; $17,722 for community/junior college tuition; $1,22,207 for student support services; $1,059,236 for instructional support services; $2,524,480 for administrative support services; $454,981 for pupil health services; $541,056 for business operations; $3,235,926 for maintenance operations; $2,776,052 for student transportation; $805,901 for central support services; and $16,342 for other support services.
Also, $600 for student activities, $61,631 for community services; $6,213,418 for debt service; $295,600 in fund transfers; and $349,791 in budgetary reserve to balance the $47,829,317 budget.
Bowman also said John Lawrence, who will soon be sworn in as state representative in the 13th legislative district, is interested in continuing Rep. Tom Houghton’s work on the Octorara Regional Planning Commission, which is working to bring more business revenue into the school district.
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