From Josephine Posti's Center Court blog:
Last week we began discussions about the 2012-13 budget and will continue those discussions until May, when we will approve our operating budget for next year. While we were able to pass last year’s budget without any millage increase despite state funding cuts, further state cuts this year place a greater burden on local taxpayers. As a result, the Board will discuss what combination of program reductions, use of reserves and millage increases will best serve our community’s needs. We look forward to your feedback.
Here's the thing. Josephine claimed in the meeting last week that the high school project had nothing to do with the tough budget this year. I know it doesn't make sense. But it DOES make sense to Josephine because she never saw any of the project as a tradeoff. It was never, "I can have this OR I can have that." It was, "We just need to raise taxes to get it." That's the mentality she and others on the board have. So technically she is right. Today's budget shortfall isn't about the high school project because they already raised taxes to "pay" for it. There was no tradeoff of bond payments for teachers. It was all paid for by a tax increase instead. And when you think back, that is the mentality that drove this project. There was never an understanding by many of the BOSN people that if you get $5 million a year in bonds, that you have to give something back. The District never gave anything back. They 100% raised taxes to pay for the school. There was NO PAIN associated with the bond payments. The majority just thought the taxpayers would absorb the shock and move on.
Tradeoffs...
