Putnam pg 3 1-26-12
- Details
- Category: Past Issues
Putnam school
board trying for
0% hike in budget
PUTNAM --- The Putnam Board of Education has set a goal of a 0 percent increase for its operating budget for the next fiscal year.
The operating budget for the 2011-2012 fiscal year is $16,195,356, according to board member J. Scott Pempek. "And that is the number we will be trying to hit for next year."
He added, "We have been fortunate that the staff, teachers and administrators have agreed to a 0 percent increase in salary in the first year of a three-year contract," he added.
Pempek said the board anticipates an increase in insurance rates, but they hope to be able to counter that with money from the rate stabilization account.
He added that the board has no control over the state Educational Cost Sharing (ECS) money that the state gives the towns.
"If the reimbursement rate changes drastically, we might not be come in with the 0 percent. We are hopeful that the ECS rate will remain the same because we realize that in this economy, now is not the time to ask the taxpayers of Putnam for a tax increase. We will be starting budget workshops with a final budget proposal due to the Board of Finance in March."
The first budget workshop, open to all, is at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 8 in the Putnam Middle School Library.