Lewis Proposes Solution for School Budget Crisis
We all know about the State Budget–it’s late and there is a big hole in it for aid to the schools. Our City School District is facing an $8 million dollar gap. The City Board of Education has called for a contingency plan to balance the budget by cutting programs, teachers, and building repairs. Laurie Menkin, President of the Board of Education, stated that tax increases were being considered.
Neither approach will work. They both undermine the confidence of parents. Uncertainty about programs and taxes confirm the fear that it is time to leave the City.
A better alternative is to build a partnership between the City and School District. The City has reserves of over $16 million. Those reserves must be pledged to avoid any cutbacks in the School District programs. The City must be prepared to provide the School District with the entire $8 million deficit, if the State does not provide additional funds. If the State appropriates some portion of the $8 million shortfall, the City must make up the difference. We cannot afford to increase class size, lay-off teachers, eliminate athletic programs, and cut music groups. There is nothing more important to the City than the vitality of the School district. The way to rebuild confidence in our schools is to ensure that every child has the opportunity to receive a quality education.
If I were Mayor, I would use these reserves to put the school district on its feet. I would assure the students, the parents, the teachers that the budget will be fully funded regardless of what the state does–whenever the state may get around to doing it. My pledge would be part of a plan to bring the City and School District together in a partnership and to budget on a multi-year basis.
I presented my solutions in a letter addressed to the School Board, Common Council, Mayor and Superintendent. The District should initiate the process with a request to the City. The City should respond by meeting with the District to prepare a multi-year combined budget. We must show Wall Street that this plan can succeed.
This crisis was created by the prior City Administration. But the current administration has done nothing to address it. I have already taken action to put together a multi-year combined plan. I am proposing it now so the voters will know what I would do as Mayor. The plan, called "Serious solutions for Serious problems" is on our web-site at www.minchlewis.com. I know the plan can work.
That is why I call upon the School District and the City to come together now to address the future of education. We cannot wait til January.
People have asked me, "How can the City help if the City is facing a financial crisis itself?" As City Auditor, I know the numbers for both the City and the School district. The financial crisis of the City is self-inflicted. We spend money on things that don’t produce a return. If we adopt my plan, we can put the City on its feet too.