The spending plan makes no cuts to programs or staff, maintains all existing class sizes and reflects the lowest budget-to-budget increase in six years.
Included in the budget is $27.2 million in state aid, $1.87 million of which was provided to the district late in the budget-crafting process after the state restored aid to school districts upon receiving funds from the federal stimulus package. District officials used that additional funding to lower the tax levy increase from 3.78 percent to 1.45 percent in late March.
The district traditionally proposes the budget in three parts:
Administration – roughly 9.4 percent of the total budget; made up of administrative salaries, benefits, insurance costs and curriculum and development.
Capital – about 13 percent of the total budget; comprised of funding for capital projects, benefits and maintenance costs.
Program – about 78 percent of the total budget; made up of classroom-related programs and activities.
For 2009-10, the district will spend $10.68 million on the administration portion, an increase of $516,450 or 5.08 percent; $14.86 million on capital, an increase of $182,735 or 1.24 percent; and $88.46 million on program, an increase of $2.5 million or 2.91 percent (see chart).
Proposition 2 – Baldwin Public Library budget
For the second year in a row, Baldwin Public Library officials have proposed a budget with no increase in overall
expenditure or the property tax levy.
The total expenditure proposed is $3.7 million.
Joseph Carroll, currently serving as Library Board Vice President, is running unopposed for another term.
Proposition 3 – use of capital reserve
District officials are looking to take $561,740 out of capital reserve to fund capital projects at Steele, Plaza and Baldwin Middle School. The proposition, which is property tax neutral, is not part of the school budget, but needs voter approval due to the rules associated with a capital reserve fund, for which voters must approve the creation of the fund and subsequent deposits and withdrawals.
The funds were received after the district sold a piece of property in 1984. That same year, voters approved the creation of a capital reserve fund, and a majority of the funds have remained there, accumulating interest, ever since.
The projects (which are detailed on page 9) were selected based on their cost relative to the amount of money in the capital reserve fund. Additional capital projects for other district facilities have been budgeted in the district spending plan.
For more information about Proposition 3, see "Proposition 3 to appear on ballot" on page 9.
School board candidates
Incumbent School Board President Mary Jo O'Hagan and Vice President B.A. Schoen are running for re-election against challengers Jinett Harper and Tanya Parris.
Excerpts from the PTA-sponsored Candidates Forum can be found on page 6, and candidate bios are detailed in the April 30-May 6 edition of the Herald.
