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PSS wait-and-see on budget cut
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Posted on May 25 2006
The Public School System is taking a wait-and-see attitude toward the possible $2.6 million cut on its budget for the next fiscal year.
David M. Borja, PSS associate commissioner for administrative services, said the school system was now looking at programs that could be cut or areas of operations that could be streamlined, in anticipation of the budget reduction.
But he added that no final decision would be made until PSS’ allocation had been determined.
The Office of Budget and Management has proposed a $34.57 million budget for the public schools—a $2.64 million cut from PSS’ current budget level, which amounts to $37.21 million. This happened despite the administration’s earlier statement that PSS, along with essential services such as the departments of Public Safety, Public Health, and Corrections, would be spared from any budget reduction.
While the House of Representatives has approved the administration’s overall budget proposal of $193.5 million, the Legislature has yet to decide how the total amount will be distributed among the government offices.
“We’re still hoping on receiving the same budget that we are getting right now. But we understand the state of the economy. PSS will just have to look at how to function with less,” Borja said.
Some of the measures PSS is considering are reducing the number of teacher aides and maximizing the use of federal funds, he said.
“We hope the community will understand the impact of the budget cut,” Borja said.
PSS wants a budget of $50 million. About $35 million of the schools’ budget is spent on personnel costs alone.
