Wednesday, July 28, 2010

TOWN COUNCIL DECIMATES SCHOOL'S BUDGET

Was there ever a doubt? The Town Council voted the top line FY 2011 budget for the schools at $35,527,720, a $1,115,301 cut from the requested budget. To provide some context, this years (FY 2010) top-line budget is $35,746,286, $218,566 more than FY2011! This, clearly, is unacceptable on all fronts and forces the referendum campaign and possibly legal action by the School Committee. Technically, the town appropriation is slightly more for FY2011 than FY2010- $129,542. Functionally, it is level funding the Schools.

Tomorrow morning at 9:00 at Town Hall I will submit our referendum question for certification by the Canvassing Department. I expect to have certified signature papers by days end, and will distribute to neighborhood captains on Friday. If you want a sheet, please email me at david@sosportsmouth.com. Please do not assume your neighbor is in charge - TAKE CHARGE. We need 1,500 signature or 30 people getting 50 or 50 people getting 30! Step up to help - WE HAVE 14 DAYS!!!!!

The referendum will ask to increase the school budget by $765,301. This represents the difference between the Schools revised budget (minus $350,000) and the voted allocation.

Next week we will have a rally at the junction of 138 and 138a (BankNewport @ Clements) on Tuesday night and will have our Sign & Drive Campaign Thursday and Friday (AM & PM) at the High School.

WE NEED EVERYONE! THIS IS THE HARDEST STEP OF ALL! 1,500 IS ALOT OF SIGNATURES!
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1 comment:

  1. Len KatzmanJuly 28, 2010 at 10:20 PM

    David:

    Thank you for your efforts to help organize the signature drive, and I know it is going to take all of us, AND our families, AND our friends here in Portsmouth to get the signatures down and in on time.

    I just want to throw my 2 cents in and say this is not "level funding", as you put it. It is -$218,566 less than last year. This can seem a little confusing, because the town appropriation is slightly more than last year, but because of the loss of state funding the bottom line budget approved by the council is an actual cut of $218,566 less than last year's budget.

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