The York County School Board found items to cut from its budget for next year, allowing for a 3 percent raise for its employees.
The board gathered for a work session Monday afternoon to pick up a May 12 discussion about accommodating a nearly $2.1 million funding gap for next year. Superintendent Eric Williams sought feedback on potential budget cuts, asking the board to decide where to pull funding so he could tweak the budget for a final vote in as soon as two weeks.
Williams’ proposed budget included a $2.9 million increase in funding from the county compared with last year, but after weeks of discussion — and droves of public comments — the Board of Supervisors decided not to raise the county property tax rate to meet the request. After the board passed its $132.5 million budget, the supervisors discussed how to better facilitate a conversation with schools next year and start the budgeting process for schools earlier.
Williams started off discussion Monday by presenting a plan using the school board’s original proposed pay raise with about $1.65 million in cuts, leaving a deficit of $443,775. Williams also prepared a list of additional items that could carve another $543,500 out of the budget, but did not recommend any of the cuts.
The school board reviewed the lists and found items it supported deleting from the proposed budget, which include:
- One full-time position and additional costs in human resources; $66,000
- One replacement bus; $90,000
- One full-time HVAC position and equipment; $76,000
- Three full-time positions and equipment in IT; $953,000
- One school psychologist intern; $25,000
- National Board Certified Teacher supplement; $15,500
- One half-time guidance counselor; $25,600
- Textbooks on the 13-year adoption cycle; $300,000
The board decided against cutting the equivalent of two full-time guidance counselor positions and a school psychologist position, which were included in Williams’ list of cuts. From the list of potential additional reductions, the board decided against cutting after-school buses, new paraeducators and new regular education teachers.
After deleting the items, the board was left with a roughly $17,000 deficit, which staff is charged with finding elsewhere in the budget.
Cindy Kirschke was the lone member vehemently against a 3 percent across-the-board increase, stressing the importance of restored steps for teachers who have been with the division for years but are being paid the same as a recent college graduate.
“I’m worried about the compression,” Kirschke said. “For years we have tried to keep the class size down at the expense of compensation our teachers. Morale is at an all-time low.”
Under the 3 percent increase option, which comes with a more than $2.4 million price tag, all employees will get a step increase, an across-the-board raise and licensed staff will be shifted to a new pay plan.
“I think we have reached a point that we’re not pleased, but we’re at a point where we can move forward now,” Chairman Mark Medford said.
Related Coverage:
- York School Board Stresses Importance of Compensation Increase Despite Diminished Revenue
- York Supervisors Approve Budget; Taxes Remain Level to Leave YCSD Short About $2 Million
- York Supes: No Tax Rate Increase; One-Time Cash Infusion Could Help YCSD Budget Woes
- YCSD Superintendent: Supervisors Have ‘Grossly Oversimplified’ School Budget Issues
- York School Board’s Robert George Calls Out Supervisor Thomas Shepperd Over Budget Remarks
- YCSD Employees, Parents Rally for Higher Taxes at York County Budget Hearing
- York Supervisors: No Tax Rate Increase; Schools Need to Prioritize
- Parents, Teachers Talk YCSD Budget Issues at Community Meeting
- York Supervisors Face Impending Deadline on Whether to Consider Tax Rate Increase
- York School Board to Supervisors: Fund Our ‘Needs-Based’ Budget
- Proposed York Budget Keeps Taxes Level, Offers 3 Percent Raise for Employees
- York School Board Continues Work on Budget Despite Uncertainty About Local, State Funding Contributions
- York Superintendent’s Proposed Budget Asks County for 5.8 Percent Funding Increase
