Janesville school budget hole grows wider
JANESVILLE — Things were bad enough when the Janesville School Board was looking a $10 million budget hole for 2011-12.
Try $15 million.
Gov. Scott Walker has not yet revealed his biennial budget, but news has leaked that he will propose a cut in school aid of $500 per student next year.
Multiply that by about 10,000 students, and you get $5 million fewer dollars for Janesville schools next year. Add that to the nearly $10 million gap the district was already projecting, and you have a $15 million hole.
“I think we’ll have to dig deeper, quite honestly. It’s going to be ugly, to say the least,” said school board member Greg Ardrey.
“Truly, the school district my daughter graduated from in 2005, that is not the school district we’re going to have next year,” Ardrey added.
The aid cut is not a sure thing, district officials said, but in a year when teacher layoffs are probable, this is the last thing they needed.
Walker’s budget repair bill was supposed to give school districts the tools to handle the cut by requiring all public employees to pay more for their benefits.
But Janesville schools don’t have those options for most employees. It settled the teachers’ contract last year. That contract will protect teachers from the effects of the Walker bill until it lapses in 2013.
A contract for a smaller union, representing custodians and maintenance and food service workers, is scheduled to be approved Tuesday.
So the district won’t have the flexibility to handle the $5 million, said district chief financial officer Keith Pennington.
Pennington said he and other officials are working long hours to come up with enough budget cuts, but it’s too early to say how this additional burden might be handled.
School board member DuWayne Severson had these suggestions:
“Are we going to raise taxes even more, or are we going to cut more teachers, or do we go back to reopen the teachers’ contract? Something’s got to give. Those are the options,” Severson said.
The district could also draw down its reserves, but the debate will be by how much. Some want to stick with current policy, which says they could take only $1.1 million.
Of course, the extent of Walker’s budget plan is not known, and the Legislature could change it.
“We really don’t have any specific answers yet, and we’re waiting for more clarity, but everything we’ve heard—we haven’t had any good news yet,” Pennington said.
The school board could raise taxes, but state revenue limits would hold the increase to $4.4 million—hardly enough.
The board could hold a referendum to raise the revenue limit.
Ardrey wasn’t calling for a referendum, but he noted that it would allow every voter to have a say in the matter.
Severson doesn’t think that’s the way to go: “I don’t think people want to have their taxes raised 15 percent. I don’t even think they’d want an 8 percent (tax hike).”
Oct 29, 2011 at 9:58 a.m.
Suggest removal
Is this a surprise to anyone except the visionaries who couldn't see 6 months into the future what their vote for Walker would result in? There's no cost savings here. Just cost shifting from state to local governments. You may now continue complaining about increasing city, county and school taxes as you continue your race to the bottom.
Oct 29, 2011 at 9:10 a.m.
Suggest removal
Cut salaries and especially benefits.
Feb 22, 2011 at 1:49 p.m.
Suggest removal
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-kl...
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-kl...
Feb 22, 2011 at 1:41 p.m.
Suggest removal
vatoloco - I think anybody reading your posts can tell who is truly classless here. Don't let that stop you from turning a discussion into a schoolyard bout of name-calling though.
Feb 22, 2011 at 1:10 p.m.
Suggest removal
Actually I meant dominican little leaguers. But we could enroll younger kids too.
Feb 22, 2011 at 1:05 p.m.
Suggest removal
Perhaps older children should be passed off as 4 year old kindergarteners to make more money. They would be like the chinese gymnastics team of education.
Feb 22, 2011 at 12:56 p.m.
Suggest removal
"the Morons"
wislady-I was not aware that morons was a proper noun. Ok then....
Feb 22, 2011 at 12:47 p.m.
Suggest removal
"Congradulations"
Clear indication that the teachers are not doing their jobs.
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/two-thir...
Feb 22, 2011 at 12:46 p.m.
Suggest removal
"Wake up, folks. Walker is out to help nobody but the biggest contributors to his campaign."
And somehow you think unions don't help liberals get elected? You are a clueless person of the highest order Rizzo.
Feb 22, 2011 at 12:44 p.m.
Suggest removal
(This comment was laid off by the onsite HR staff)
Feb 22, 2011 at 12:29 p.m.
Suggest removal
why has the the Gazette not told the story of problems with the guards while he was county executive in Milwaukee and fired the security guards and now it could cost up to #430,000 he fired the security guards and hired the non union guards and the arbitrator Amedeo Greco decision was he could not do this
Feb 22, 2011 at 1:29 a.m.
Suggest removal
Did you just spell "congratulations" wrong and then proceed to call us morons?
Feb 21, 2011 at 5:58 p.m.
Suggest removal
Start laying off union employees and start at the top of the seniority list.
Feb 21, 2011 at 5:32 p.m.
Suggest removal
Jowner,
Enlighten the masses with your intellect. Please tells us unwashed what politics is all about....
Take your time and write a cogent response....
Feb 21, 2011 at 11:16 a.m.
Suggest removal
Congradulations to all of the Morons that voted for Walker. Maybe now you will start to understand what politics is all about.
Feb 21, 2011 at 6:18 a.m.
Suggest removal
All facets of the budget need to be cut. Not just teachers. And please, dip into that Fund 10 a little deeper, School Board - nothing drastic, just a little - it's there for emergencies, right? This sure sounds like an emergency to me.
Feb 21, 2011 at 1:10 a.m.
Suggest removal
So you suggest they should be sending a letter to the Gov, thanking him for making their job 50% tougher?
-
Wake up, folks. Walker is out to help nobody but the biggest contributors to his campaign.
Feb 21, 2011 at 1:08 a.m.
Suggest removal
You do realize JohnDoe that the battle is lost. Your anger clearly comes out in your post so I think you know this already. The democratic senators will return to Madison and the bill will be promptly passed with no changes. I know this upsets you and your kind so we expect your side to become even more unhinged as your day of reckoning approaches. The more "vitriol" you spew the closer that hour comes. And I want you to know one thing name caller. I am sitting at home laughing my rear end off at the whole thing.
Feb 21, 2011 at 12:54 a.m.
Feb 21, 2011 at 12:26 a.m.
Feb 20, 2011 at 11:30 p.m.
Suggest removal
Open a dictionary or go to school, oh wait, they didn't show up for work.
Feb 20, 2011 at 10:26 p.m.
Suggest removal
"they should be spending time figuring out what we are going to do about a 15 million dollar hole."
Uh...if you believe Scottie... his bill is the answer to all government deficit problems...large and small.
Ya mean that's not really true?
Feb 20, 2011 at 10:23 p.m.
Suggest removal
"a self absorbed rebuke"
Please define.
Feb 20, 2011 at 10:21 p.m.
Suggest removal
Good thing they are sending a self absorbed rebuke to Governor Walker when they should be spending time figuring out what we are going to do about a 15 million dollar hole.
Feb 20, 2011 at 7:33 p.m.
Suggest removal
12isgreaterthan4....you should do yourself a favor and educate yourself on the autonomy of city of Janesville and School District of Janesville.
We are not laughing with you...we are laughing at you.
Feb 20, 2011 at 3:59 p.m.
Suggest removal
Why approve a contract on Tuesday? Why are they trying to lock in a contract when they know the budget numbers are going to change? How can that possibly be a benifit to the tax payers? The school district has to understand raising taxes and fees is not an option.Cut your spending like everyone else has had to do.
Feb 20, 2011 at 3:23 p.m.
Suggest removal
I thought I heard that last year the Fund 10 Balance was 3.8 million over its limit. This year is is 1.1 million. Where did last year's few million go? Why can't both years' overages be added? That would almost cover this new 5 million dollar hole.
Before you post a comment, consider this:
Note: GazetteXtra.com does not condone or review every comment. Read more in our User Policy AgreementPost Comment
Commenting requires registration.