In our almost 28 years of living in Cooperstown we have always been amazed at the number of opportunities there are to attend various and sundry events outside the home. Over the years we have greatly enjoyed sampling a wide variety of events. But there are very few that we have attended in the same way we have attended innumerable school board meetings, public forums, and budget hearings.

We feel that doing so helps keep us informed on the coming and goings of the school. And for the most part, we always feel it is time well spent.

Thus we were not surprised to discover the recent public forum, which was held following the last school board meeting, was certainly no exception.

At that particular public forum Nicholas Savin, BOCES superintendent, spoke about future collaboration among school districts in the area. We found his presentation most informative and were particularly grateful to hear him talk about the need, when preparing school budgets, to balance the needs of the students with the appropriate fiscal responsibility for the taxpayers. He pointed out, quite correctly we believe, that current financial climate is going to be around for a while and will continue to have an impact on school budgets down the road. We feel quite strongly that it is a message that needs to be heard, and understood, by everyone impacted by the school budget.

In fact, we are extremely glad that crafting the CCS 2010-2011 budget is not our responsibility. Unfortunately, we suspect that finding the right balance for all parties concerned has the potential of making no one happy. After all, from our point of view, the two most clearly defined sides of the budget argument seem to be light years apart.

On one side, we find those people who, as articulated by a school board member at one meeting, want everything for their kids.

We have listened to impassioned pleas from faculty, in spite of the tough economic climate, to not increase the size of the elementary school classes based on the fact that the school has to do so much more than just education and in fact the teachers often have to be parents to their students. Additionally, there are many parents who expect the teachers to do enrichment, above and beyond the prescribed curriculum, with the students.

On the other side we are still hearing such questions as ``Why has our budget risen when our enrollment has plunged from 1350 to 988?,’’ ``Why do we have so many sports teams?,’’ ``What will we do when State Aid is substantially cut?’’ and ``Why are the healthcare expenses of the district not shared more equitably with the employees?’’

We have even received an e-mail that said in regards to the upcoming budget: ``20 is the magic number. Yes 20. We have 20 percent more staff than is needed, the co-pay on health insurance should be 20 percent, and we need to cut the budget by at least 20 percent.

Two times 20 is 40 which is the percentage reduction needed in the number of sports teams.’’

Exactly how any middle ground will be found between these two very opposing points of view escapes us, especially when proposed decisions regarding state funding of education are taken into consideration.

It has already been noted that under the governor’s proposed budget, CCS is on track to lose $650,000 in state aid, a cut which is being defended in a press release from the governor’s office which clearly states that: ``...the vast majority of school districts should be able to manage these reductions without adversely impacting property taxpayers or educational quality.’’

As far as we can tell, the basic argument being made is that most school budgets are vastly inflated and can thus be reduced without harm. If this is true, fine. If not, it’s not fine.

We are also somewhat disturbed by a letter we received recently from Senator Seward which read in part: ``The governor has now offered up his proposed state budget... the governor’s plan, if not modified, will pressure your property taxes even more... Specifically, he has refused to reinstate the successful STAR rebate program and he has once again proposed watering down the regular STAR program so that homeowners will see a reduced benefit from their regular STAR exemption!...The last two state budgets have made home ownership more expensive. The governor cancelled the STAR rebate checks, eliminating a yearly offset to your school tax bill that in 2009 cost property owners in my district $28 million. This year, that decision alone will cost the typical homeowner in my district another $450-$500 discount on this fall’s school taxes.

This possibility, as outlined by Senator Seward, would also not seem to be particularly good news for the CCS 2010- 2011 budget. In fact, when all of the budget pressures coming from all sides are taken together, one cannot help but wonder if the school board does indeed have a perfect storm on its hands.

In closing, we note that the first draft of the CCS 2010- 2011 budget, whatever it may be, is scheduled to be unveiled at the next school board meeting to be held on Wednesday, March 3 at 7:00 p.m. in the Middle/High School Cafeteria.

Following that there will be a Board Budget Work Session, open to the public, on Wednesday, March 10 at 5:30 p.m. also in the Middle/High School Cafeteria. We would encourage anyone with an interest in, or concern for, the CCS 2010-2011 budget to attend both meetings.

PLEASE NOTE: Comments regarding this column may be made by mail at 105 Pioneer Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326, by telephone at 607-547-8124 or by email at cellsworth1@stny.rr.com.