Emporia school district not likely to suffer badly from budget cuts
By Bobbi Mlynar
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The Emporia school district’s budget likely won’t suffer much for the current fiscal year, whether legislators use the governor’s recommended cuts or implement their own, and next year could be manageable, too, based on estimates provided to the board of education at a budget workshop Wednesday evening in the Mary Herbert Education Center.
Assistant Superintendent of Finance Rob Scheib and Superintendent John Heim stressed that the figures presented Wednesday were only possibilities. Until the legislature takes action on this year’s budget cuts, then works out a trimmer budget for the coming fiscal year, the school district’s own budget remains a guessing game.
The district received $2.4 million in unexpected state money for the current fiscal year, though some of that may disappear after the Legislature cuts the state budget.
The district currently receives $4,433 from the state for each student.
Scheib used the governor’s plan for his best-case scenario and the Legislature’s for the worst-case estimates, which could result in a $1.3 million cut for the district.
The governor’s plan recommends reducing the aid by $22 per student, a loss of $164,351 for the district’s current budget.
The legislature’s proposed cuts ranged from 2 to 5 percent, or $993,557 to $1,658,452, Scheib said.
For FY 2009-10, the governor would cut another $66 per student, or $493,054 locally. The legislature’s 2 to 5 percent reductions, coupled with estimated losses of 100 students here, could decrease the 2009-10 budget by a total of $1,591,063 under the governor’s plan and $2,570,430 under the legislative estimates.
Scheib also said the district likely will lose state money for new facilities weighting, at-risk money and actual enrollment numbers, prompting an increase in the local mill levy for the district.
Needed funds, however, may come in an economic stimulus package now under scrutiny by Congress.
Heim pointed out that Emporia’s financial outlook is considerably rosier than that of most other districts in Kansas.
“I’m really glad we’re in Emporia,” he said. “There’s probably not many districts in the state that are saying, ‘Don’t panic.’ These are really hard times for other districts in the state.”
F For the full story, go to www.emporiagazette.com.