School district faces $3-million shortfall
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Nanaimo school trustees could be forced to cut as much as $3 million in programs and services to balance next year’s budget.
David Green, secretary-treasurer said the harmonized sales tax, increasing MSP premiums, increased salaries and benefits, carbon offset costs, a hydro rate increase and inflation will put an estimated $3 million strain on the budget.
“I think it’s a pretty realistic estimate, but it’s also conservative,” he said. “Districts are going to start to have to look at ways to do things differently.”
Green said the provincial education budget increase for 2010/11 is $37 million, while cost pressures for districts provincewide are expected to exceed $100 million.
Last spring, Nanaimo trustees made deep cuts to programs and services to make up for a $2.15-million shortfall.
After last year’s budget process, trustees decided to make budget strategy discussions a regular feature of business committee meetings to see where money might be saved in future years.
In September, trustees scrapped a proposal to charge students fees for busing services. In October, they asked staff to investigate administrative cuts
This month, a proposal to change the school calendar was scrapped.
Staff estimated the district could save nearly $500,000 by adding several minutes to each instructional day and then giving students an additional week off.
Trustee Carol McNamee pointed out that the district’s support workers would bear the brunt of those savings, as many are paid an hourly wage, while teachers and administrators are salaried and would be unaffected.
Jamie Brennan, business committee chairman, said trustees were not eager to continue exploring the option because it wold most impact the lowest-paid workers.
The decision was greeted by cheers from more than a dozen support workers, who attended the meeting to hear the discussion.
Brennan said trustees will continue examining other areas where savings might be found.
“At the end of the day, the board is going to have to find $3 million in savings,” he said. “We have to look at every area for potential savings.”
reporter@nanaimobulletin.com
