Lancaster school district budget status

[Lee Chowaniec]

http://www.buffalonews.com/city/comm...icle751083.ece

Unfortunately, this report did not appear on the Buffalo News website when it was published in the paper. It is important for Lancaster residents to be provided with information as to what’s taking place at the Lancaster Central School District (LCSD) Board of Education (BOE) budget work sessions.

Although the BOE has encouraged public participation at the budget work sessions so they can understand first hand the difficulty in putting together a budget, only a handful of residents attend the meetings. Despite the fact that the three BOE meetings have conflicted with town board meetings, ample information has been provided on the LCSD website and in the news media to keep the public informed of what is being reviewed at the work sessions and where the district is in the process.

There will be another budget work session this coming Monday at Hillview Elementary School (Transit and Pleasantview) following the regular scheduled meeting that begins at 7 pm. At Monday’s work session the public should have a better understanding on proposed budget, tax levy increase and staffing status.

One thing to be noted in Mr. Watson’s commendable report, the 4.7% teacher salary step increase includes the automatic, mandated NYS Triborough step increase and the 1.25% district contracted agreement.

[Lee Chowaniec]

http://www.buffalonews.com/city/comm...icle751083.ece

Unfortunately, this report did not appear on the Buffalo News website when it was published in the paper. It is important for Lancaster residents to be provided with information as to what’s taking place at the Lancaster Central School District (LCSD) Board of Education (BOE) budget work sessions.

Although the BOE has encouraged public participation at the budget work sessions so they can understand first hand the difficulty in putting together a budget, only a handful of residents attend the meetings. Despite the fact that the three BOE meetings have conflicted with town board meetings, ample information has been provided on the LCSD website and in the news media to keep the public informed of what is being reviewed at the work sessions and where the district is in the process.

There will be another budget work session this coming Monday at Hillview Elementary School (Transit and Pleasantview) following the regular scheduled meeting that begins at 7 pm. At Monday’s work session the public should have a better understanding on proposed budget, tax levy increase and staffing status.

One thing to be noted in Mr. Watson’s commendable report, the 4.7% teacher salary step increase includes the automatic, mandated NYS Triborough step increase and the 1.25% district contracted agreement.

Correction - BOE meeting is at the Lancasrer Cenral District office on Central Avenue.

[shortstuff]

In the Buffnews this morning, an article written by Steve Watson on" Lancaster school budget plan hikes tax levy 3.76%, still leaves deficit"

The statement, "Any cuts are likely to start on the elementary school level, where the districts has in recent years seen an enrollment decline that is now making its way to the upper grades." -----We have a decline in enrollment yet the budget still increases?

The statement, "Spending would rise by 5.09% over the current budget, and the district would rely on leftover funds, a boost in state aid and higher property tax revenue to make up for much of the budget increase." If you have decrease in enrollment, a boost in state aid and then higher tax revenue why then are they increasing the spending by 5.09%? I would be interested to hear about the "contingency budget."

I think this is going to spiral until the taxpayers say enough is enough. When we vote on the budget this year, the residents need to come out and make a statement and vote NO!

Residents vote on the budget May 15th. Get out and vote, just don't complain about it.

[Genoobie]

Vote no and make sure you fire highly paid teachers (it just takes two years).

[yaksplat]

What's the point of posting for people to vote no well after the budget already passed?

Just more genoobie rhetoric...

[Lee Chowaniec]

http://www.buffalonews.com/Article/2...GION/130609911

Don Esmonde’s column titled “Clarence reformer has solution for district’s failing formula” could likely be about Lancaster next year. Residents did vote for this year’s budget but are at the breaking point and would not have voted approval for a tax increase the size of Clarence’s this year.

What is interesting is same tired anti-tax rhetoric used by newly elected BOE member Roger Showalter to “flip the formula” to bring change. Yes the district has the empowerment to demand district staff contribute more than 10% for their health insurance cost.

However, his proposal to encourage more senior staff to take buyouts that will allow for cost avoidance and the retention/hiring of younger staff is not considered cost avoidance to me when those individuals are receiving $30,000 incentives to do so and are being placed in a retirement system where costs to sustain that system are skyrocketing at an alarming rate and were the sole reason for the budget increase in Lancaster.

Mr. Showalter will have his hands tied when it comes to dealing with mandated Triborough step wage increase and legacy costs. He will have some say in union contract negotiations on health care and district wage increases. But it is also time for him and BOE members from other districts to consider sacrifices from everyone. Children go to school to receive an education. Sports and other extra-curricular activities are important to round out the individual. However, schools should be held to the same standard as everyday life, “we cannot spend the money we don’t have, nor expect others to give it to us.” At least that's the way it used to be!

District legacy costs are the elephant in the room; state aid cutbacks over the past five years are the 800 lb gorilla in the room. But if the state provides the districts with more aid, that money still comes out of the pockets of the taxpayers. That is what is known as a vicious circle. Regardless, the system is truly broken and the ones getting screwed are the kids and the taxpayers. State politicos + public sector unions = screwed taxpayers.

[Genoobie]

...
However, his proposal to encourage more senior staff to take buyouts that will allow for cost avoidance and the retention/hiring of younger staff is not considered cost avoidance to me when those individuals are receiving $30,000 incentives to do so and are being placed in a retirement system where costs to sustain that system are skyrocketing at an alarming rate and were the sole reason for the budget increase in Lancaster.

District legacy costs are the elephant in the room; state aid cutbacks over the past five years are the 800 lb gorilla in the room. But if the state provides the districts with more aid, that money still comes out of the pockets of the taxpayers. That is what is known as a vicious circle. Regardless, the system is truly broken and the ones getting screwed are the kids and the taxpayers. State politicos + public sector unions = screwed taxpayers.

So, Lee, now that 3012-c is on the books teachers can be dismissed in two years. Why not start now and no contracts need be negotiated, no unions need be dealt with, no incentives need be provided. Highly paid teachers can be DISMISSED. Start with your most highly paid employees and year by year remove them from the rolls.

New grads are falling all over themselves to get into the profession because of the generous benefits and so forth. Additionally they will be eager to work longer hours, be more current on new technology and will have many pluses. Seems like an easy enough solution. Don Esmonde is RIGHT. Hopefully Showalter will put the beleaguered Clarence taxpayer at the forefront of the cost considerations. And maybe, just maybe, Lancaster can follow suit.

[gorja]

Again, Lancaster was #1 in administrative efficiency http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/n...marks-for.html

It is also the leader in lowest per pupil spending $12,894.

They were #4 in pupil-administrative ratios.

http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/f...n-western.html

[Lee Chowaniec]

So, Lee, now that 3012-c is on the books teachers can be dismissed in two years. Why not start now and no contracts need be negotiated, no unions need be dealt with, no incentives need be provided. Highly paid teachers can be DISMISSED. Start with your most highly paid employees and year by year remove them from the rolls.

New grads are falling all over themselves to get into the profession because of the generous benefits and so forth. Additionally they will be eager to work longer hours, be more current on new technology and will have many pluses. Seems like an easy enough solution. Don Esmonde is RIGHT. Hopefully Showalter will put the beleaguered Clarence taxpayer at the forefront of the cost considerations. And maybe, just maybe, Lancaster can follow suit.

It was never my intent to say that experienced teachers should be dismissed for the sake of savings. They are a valuable asset and deserving of the salary they earn. That said, I do not favor an incentive program to encourage them to retire for the sake of retaining or hiring younger, less expensive teachers. The retiring teachers enter into a retirement system that taxpayers have to as well fund.

And I believe the hullaballoo about Standardized Core Testing and the resulting evaluation process that can lead to the dismissal of qualified teachers is much ado about nothing. In the first place, no school district wants to eliminate good teachers based on any system that does not judge them fairly. However, there needs to be a system in place to weed out the teachers who are not living up to expectations. Firing a teacher in today’s world is as difficult as preventing a common cold.

Concerning Lancaster’s budget for next year, the bottom line will be the tax increase amount. How the district gets there will be of little concern to many residents who are sacrificing to meet tax obligations in a state already overburdened with taxes. The entire system is broken and taxpayers are looking for reform, not excuses why their pockets should be picked once again.

I also found today’s Buffalo News Letter to the Editor interesting and in my opinion spot on.

http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs...130609777/1119

[Lee Chowaniec]

Again, Lancaster was #1 in administrative efficiency http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/n...marks-for.html

It is also the leader in lowest per pupil spending $12,894.

They were #4 in pupil-administrative ratios.

http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/f...n-western.html

Thanks Gorja. It can't be stated often enough for those that believe the district is top heavy in administrators and that cutting one or two would close the $3.2 million budget shortfall.

The finger-pointing has to stop and real reform take place where sacrifice is equally distributed across a broken system - not only by the taxpayer!

[Genoobie]

See, here's the thing, wealthy districts do well on tests and poor districts more poorly on tests, and there was just another article saying that income is a greater predictor of success than teacher performance. So, that being said, and shortstuff will attest to, veteran teachers who are highly paid will not necessarily improve educational outcomes. So if you eliminate the highly paid teachers, you can replace them with younger teachers with minimal to no impact on scores. Plus if you get them early enough, their long term pension costs will be smaller.

Are you kidding? If a district is trying to make budget they will most certainly eliminate experienced teachers and supposedly 3012-c is there to ensure that they are judged fairly, but that can be fixed quite easily to stack the deck against any particular teacher. I hope you are not serious talking about "judging fairly". Nobody is cutting breaks to anyone in the private sector. You need to educate yourself, 3012-c will indeed make it easy to dismiss teachers.

I agree, don't pick the pockets of taxpayers, simply give the veteran teachers the more "difficult" students, they can then be judged "ineffective" and in two years dismissed. If you think that's callous or "not fair", I'll buy you a handkerchief, because that's what reform I will most certainly advocate.

[Irish Rose]

When 75% of any school district budget ... and as it currently exists in Lancaster... goes to support staff/teacher salaries + benefits + pension costs = something needs to be done ...

[Genoobie]

Thanks Gorja. It can't be stated often enough for those that believe the district is top heavy in administrators and that cutting one or two would close the $3.2 million budget shortfall.

The finger-pointing has to stop and real reform take place where sacrifice is equally distributed across a broken system - not only by the taxpayer!

Finally some sense here. Cutting the just 4% of the highest paid teachers would net a 3.75% budget decrease. How can you fail to see the logic in this?