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.
