Manatee County Schools Budget Cuts

BY PAT McKEE

Funding news went from bad to worse Tuesday at the Lee County school board meeting.

Based on information he received earlier in the day, Superintendent James Browder said he has been told the state revenue shortfall may be significantly greater than previously believed. If that is the case, the district may have to cut as much as $70 million - and 800 jobs - for the 2009-10 academic year.

“I learned that the shortfall could be closer to $6 billion than the $4 billion we were told earlier,” Browder said, referring to an e-mail from lobbyist Bob Cerra that alluded to discussions in the Ways & Means Committee of the state Senate. “I´m very concerned about what that will mean and what it does to us in Lee County. The package we gave (to board members in January) was about $42 million in reductions.”

District budget director Ami Desamours said she expects the district´s operating budget to be at a level comparable with 2004-05. That would be about $69 million less than the current year, and the impact could be even more when the beginnings of the class-size amendment is factored. Unless changed, compliance to that amendment is scheduled to go to a room-by-room number next year.

Regardless, Browder said changes could be looming.

“(The shortfall) will change the face of public education in this county and in the state of Florida,” he said. “It will be devastating to try to deal with. Still, I´m confident we can balance the budget and we can do it and provide a quality experience for our children, but it won´t be with everything that we´ve been able to provide in the past.”

One step Browder has taken to address the funding issues is sending a letter to state Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, in support of a bill that would allow districts flexibility in the way they can spend certain funds. The idea came out of a meeting two weeks ago with state lawmakers, he said.

The day´s news prompted board member Bob Chilmonik to express shock over the potential revenue shortfall. With that in mind, he moved the district seek a referendum that, if passed, would allow it to move money from its capital budget to its operating budget.

“I´m saying the need is now, so if we wait to 2011, it will be too late,” Chilmonik said. “With the news we received (Tuesday), the time is now. We need to do something now to save jobs.”

Board member Steven Teuber said conducting a referendum is unsound and costly. He instead asked the board work for the passage of state House Bill 803, which, like the one Browder proposed to Bennett, would create flexibility in spending with no cost.

After discussion, Teuber moved to call the question and the motion failed 2-1, with Teuber and Chairwoman Jane Kuckel dissenting.

On another item, Chilmonik questioned spending $1 million on furniture, but a motion passed 2-1 with Kuckel and Teuber in support.

Browder noted funds were to replace damaged furniture or outfit renovated schools. Donna Mutzenard, director for the Florida Education Association´s Island Coast service unit, is another who expressed chagrin over the latest revenue projections.

Top of Page