Another Budget "Fast One"

The School Board is at it again. Under law, the Board must have the final budget available for inspection for thirty days prior to the vote. According to their web page Budget News, the final vote will take place on May 20, 2013. The following is on the Home page:
School Board Approves Proposed Final Budget

At the April 15,2013 Regular Board meeting, the School Board approved a Proposed Final Budget for the 2013-2014 school year in the amount of $83,249,503 at a millage rate of 27.67, an increase of .54 mills over last year's budget. The Board will vote on the final budget at the May 20 School Board meeting.

I sent this email directly to Jan Klein since the Board tends to ignore my emails.
Ms. Klein was kind enough to respond.

From: Jan Klein <JKlein@mtlsd.net>
To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
Cc: School Board Email list <SchoolBoardEmaillist@mtlsd.net>
Subject: RE: Budget
Date: Mon, Apr 22, 2013 7:57 am

The budget will be posted before the end of this week.

Respectfully,

Jan

Janice Klein
Director of Business
Mt. Lebanon School District
7 Horsman Drive Pittsburgh, PA 15228
412-344-2098 (office) 412-559-9310 (cell)

I prefer the errors of enthusiasm to the indifference of wisdom - Anatole France

-----Original Message----- From: egillen476@aol.com [mailto:egillen476@aol.com]
Sent: Friday, April 19, 2013 9:25 PM
To: Jan Klein
Cc: School Board Email list
Subject: Budget

Ms. Klein

Where is the budget posted? I don't see it on the website.

Thank you.

Elaine Gillen

________________________________
MTLSD DISCLAIMER: THIS TRANSMISSION IS INTENDED ONLY FOR THE USE OF THE ADDRESSEE AND MAY CONTAIN INFORMATION THAT IS PRIVILEGED, CONFIDENTIAL, AND EXEMPT FROM DISCLOSURE UNDER APPLICABLE LAW. IF YOU ARE NOT THE INTENDED RECIPIENT, OR THE EMPLOYEE OR AGENT RESPONSIBLE FOR DELIVERING THE MESSAGE TO THE INTENDED RECIPIENT, YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT ANY DISSEMINATION, RETENTION, DISTRIBUTION, OR COPYING OF THIS COMMUNICATION IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS COMMUNICATION IN ERROR, PLEASE NOTIFY THE SENDER IMMEDIATELY.________________________________

In addition, the District Budget page has included the video of the April 8 meeting. The April 2 Budget Forum was never uploaded to the District website. As it has been pointed out many times here on Lebo Citizens, I asked nine questions at the Budget Forum and was treated rudely by Mrs. Birks and Mrs. Cappucci.  In addition, Mt. Lebanon resident Bill Matthews gave an excellent presentation and was treated rudely by Mrs. Cappucci.

Tongue in cheek, the website also offers:

Contact the School Board
The Mt. Lebanon School Board is interested in your feedback. Residents are encouraged to email the Board with questions or comments at schoolboard@mtlsd.net.

I presume that the Budget is available in the District Offices somewhere, in the meantime. If not, they are pulling another fast one, as they are with not posting the Budget Forum.

Shhh...for your eyes only

As directed by the school board on the February 11, 2013 agenda and the February 18, 2013 agenda, Dr. Timothy Steinhauer submitted an application for Act 1 Exceptions to the PA Department of Education.

Preliminary Budget – Act 1 of 2006 requires us to prepare and the Board to approve a preliminary budget in order to be able to apply for exceptions to the Index limitation on real estate tax rates for the 2013-14 school year budget. As discussed at prior meetings, this budget is not the detailed budget which will be available for Board and community review in the spring once additional information is known on both revenue and expenditure accounts. This budget totals $84,469,784, which is high enough to enable us to apply for all applicable exceptions. Approval of this preliminary budget does not require the Board to approve this millage amount when the final budget is adopted in May. The superintendent recommends approval of this legally required budget.

Most school districts post this on their websites. Not Mt. Lebanon.  Through a Right To Know to the PDE, here it is.

Act 1 Exceptions Application

Mrs. Cappucci was adamant about all budget information being posted on the school district website, when I questioned the board at the April 2, 2013 Budget Forum.  I found it fitting to pair up a 1972 Mt. Lebanon yearbook photo along with the podcast. I feel that it summarizes the school board directors' attitude towards the community.

Amazing. The document shows a budget shortfall of $1,865,309. Wow, almost like the song, 867-5309.  No disclosure to the public.  The school board was saying it was maybe, perhaps, not sure, something like $800,000 or so.

Please keep this a secret.  We can't let this out.

As promised, more on the budget forum

Last night, Bill Matthews made an excellent presentation concerning the budget. I posted a link to his twelve page presentation here. Bill was kind enough to send Lebo Citizens readers a letter to the editor with additional comments.  Thanks, Bill!

Letter to the Editor

Last evening I spent a few minutes with the School Board at its budget forum.  I was afforded more than 4 minutes, but nevertheless hurried along, so the Board could get to “its” business at hand. 

Over the years I have watched this annual ritual and it does not change much, other than this year there is a larger than normal informational abyss on the upcoming budget.  However, there is considerable historical information and dated projections for anyone with the mind to mine the data.

Being so inclined, I did this and shared some of my findings with the board.

A.      Since 2001, total school district expenditures have outpaced inflation, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), by about 23%.

B.      In school year 2012 – 2012 alone, this “delta” totals more than $12,000,000.

C.      While expenditures have continued to grow, enrollment has continued to decline.  In 1978, district wide enrollment was 7,131 students.  The most recently available projections from the PA Department of Education, project 2021 enrollment at 4,753 students; a 33% decline for the period.

 

D.     The increasing expenditure demands have required increasing tax support from residents.  Earned income revenues have grown commensurate with the CPI, while real estate taxes, which “balance” the budget, have grown much faster.  Since 1978, the CPI has grown by a factor of 3.6.  Gross Real Estate Revenues for the school district, by a factor of 5.5.  Adjusted for the declining enrollment, real estate revenues on a per student basis have grown by a factor of 7.4.

My primary point to the Board is that this trend is not sustainable.  They may not be able to fix it this year, but they must recognize the devil in the details, demonstrate some leadership, and chart a course for our collective future.

I have absolutely no interest in hearing about PSERS, the need to “invest” in our infrastructure, or who last kicked the can down the road.  These are all lame rationalizations for spending and taxing more. 

When elected officials take office, they do so with the intent to make a difference.  They come armed for battle with either leadership and good ideas, or OPM (other people’s money).  It seems more often than not OPM carries the day. 

ps

But for being politely “gaveled” down, I intended to share some positive observations, including:

1.      Our students, supported by their families and our talented faculty continue to achieve and make our Community proud.

2.      While achievement does come at some cost, we are far more efficient than most of Pennsylvania’s school districts when you analyze achievement with expenditures.

3.      In fact, many districts spend bunches more money per student.

4.      Who deserves the credit – see point 1.