MONROE - Monroe Business Manager Ron Olson took the first steps to hammer out a 2011-12 budget for the Monroe School District, following passage of a state budget that slashes funding for public schools by more than $1 billion.
The Monroe School Board unanimously approved a temporary budget Monday night. Olson said it was a "best practice" to approve a temporary budget by July 1, even though it didn't include the final numbers in the state budget Gov. Walker signed into law June 26. Walker's budget seeks to cut the state's structural deficit from $2.5 billion to $250 million by 2013.
The 2011-12 school operating budget includes $28,735,191 in expenses. The district has made a little more than $1.7 million in cuts (5.6 percent) to the operating budget. There are 16.3 positions that have been reduced, including the equivalent of 10.4 teaching and 5.9 support staff.
Olson said the budget has a deficit of $811,404, but it will be covered by anticipated fund- balance surplus dollars from last year.
"There is not much that has happened in Madison that will change this," Olson said.
Olson projects the levy will be $7,888,494, which is a reduction of more than $1 million or 12 percent from last year. Olson said the district will also have a more than $100,000 reduction in the levy from debt service, after the board refinanced debt last year.
Another key component in the levy will be the equalized aid the district receives from the state. Olson projects the district will receive more than $1.4 million less in state aid. It's the third straight year the district's aid has been cut. And the projected equalization aid has decreased more than $2 million over the last three years.
The district is still waiting on a state funding analysis from the state Department of Public Instruction and other organizations.
"The question in my mind is where do we go from here," said Bob Erb, Monroe School Board Vice President, who was serving as acting president Monday in Pam Wyss' absence. "If we continue to go down this path, where the state keeps cutting our aid, it will continue to look like this. In the future we will have to reduce people who don't want to leave. I have heard some people say, 'Live within your means.' '"I think we are doing that and more so."
The operating fund revenue is projected to be $27,923,787, which is a reduction of more than $2.5 million, or 8.26 percent, compared to last year. Olson projected that open enrollment revenues will decrease $300,000.
Olson said the $450,543 in EdJobs stimulus dollars the district received, and didn't use last year, will roll over to 2011-12. The district also has $190,000 in vouchers from a Microsoft claim settlement that will carry over to next school year.
Board member Brian Keith said that, when Monroe decided to go to a referendum last spring, the state budget quagmire contributed to its failure at the polls. As a result, Keith said he wants to build additional community support if the board decides to seek another referendum.
"Maybe if that (state budget) is cleaned up we can get some positive results if we go to a referendum," Keith said. "Now is the time to put it out there. If we wait until November or December and then try to pass a referendum in the spring, it won't be successful. We have to start building it now."
The Monroe School Board unanimously approved a temporary budget Monday night. Olson said it was a "best practice" to approve a temporary budget by July 1, even though it didn't include the final numbers in the state budget Gov. Walker signed into law June 26. Walker's budget seeks to cut the state's structural deficit from $2.5 billion to $250 million by 2013.
The 2011-12 school operating budget includes $28,735,191 in expenses. The district has made a little more than $1.7 million in cuts (5.6 percent) to the operating budget. There are 16.3 positions that have been reduced, including the equivalent of 10.4 teaching and 5.9 support staff.
Olson said the budget has a deficit of $811,404, but it will be covered by anticipated fund- balance surplus dollars from last year.
"There is not much that has happened in Madison that will change this," Olson said.
Olson projects the levy will be $7,888,494, which is a reduction of more than $1 million or 12 percent from last year. Olson said the district will also have a more than $100,000 reduction in the levy from debt service, after the board refinanced debt last year.
Another key component in the levy will be the equalized aid the district receives from the state. Olson projects the district will receive more than $1.4 million less in state aid. It's the third straight year the district's aid has been cut. And the projected equalization aid has decreased more than $2 million over the last three years.
The district is still waiting on a state funding analysis from the state Department of Public Instruction and other organizations.
"The question in my mind is where do we go from here," said Bob Erb, Monroe School Board Vice President, who was serving as acting president Monday in Pam Wyss' absence. "If we continue to go down this path, where the state keeps cutting our aid, it will continue to look like this. In the future we will have to reduce people who don't want to leave. I have heard some people say, 'Live within your means.' '"I think we are doing that and more so."
The operating fund revenue is projected to be $27,923,787, which is a reduction of more than $2.5 million, or 8.26 percent, compared to last year. Olson projected that open enrollment revenues will decrease $300,000.
Olson said the $450,543 in EdJobs stimulus dollars the district received, and didn't use last year, will roll over to 2011-12. The district also has $190,000 in vouchers from a Microsoft claim settlement that will carry over to next school year.
Board member Brian Keith said that, when Monroe decided to go to a referendum last spring, the state budget quagmire contributed to its failure at the polls. As a result, Keith said he wants to build additional community support if the board decides to seek another referendum.
"Maybe if that (state budget) is cleaned up we can get some positive results if we go to a referendum," Keith said. "Now is the time to put it out there. If we wait until November or December and then try to pass a referendum in the spring, it won't be successful. We have to start building it now."