The 9.5-mill levy should be back on the ballot in March.
THE VINDICATOR
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN — The city school board expects to have a new spending reduction plan in its hands before the end of December.
Dr. Wendy Webb, superintendent, told the board's Finance Committee on Wednesday the committee she formed some months ago to look for additional ways to cut district expenses is getting close to coming up with some recommendations.
The committee is looking at everything short of cutting academic programs, she said, noting that includes possibly closing the central administration building on Wood Street, ending the bus garage lease contract and a variety of other matters.
She said a plan should be ready to present to the board in December.
The district has managed to trim spending by $17 million over the last two years while eliminating 250 jobs.
Meanwhile, the 9.5-mill, five-year tax levy rejected by voters for the second time in Tuesday's election will likely be back on the ballot in March.
Treasurer Carolyn Funk told the committee the board must act by Dec. 20 to get the issue on that ballot.
The state fiscal oversight commission controlling district finances for the past year since Youngstown was placed in fiscal emergency as a result of a $15 million general fund deficit is expected to direct the school board to put the issue on the ballot again, Webb said.
The district, however, won't approach it as just a matter of trying again to get it passed, she said.
Supporters need to expand the grass-roots effort aimed at explaining the district's financial problems, the academic gains it is making and what its plans are, she said.
Face-to-face talks with voters and explaining what's happening in the district proved to be an effective way to get some people to change their minds about the levy this time, she said.
Webb has been talking about taking a community survey to gauge public opinion and wishes and said she plans to get that completed before the levy issue hits the ballot again.
Board member Lock P. Beachum Sr. said the district needs a strategic financial plan to be spelled out before the end of the year, and he asked Funk what the next step should be.
The district first needs to continue to look at additional spending reductions and put solid plans and timelines together, Funk said. Next, it must continue to put the levy issue forward, she said.
Funk also presented the Finance Committee with her latest version of the district's five-year financial forecast, which offered a slightly better picture than the forecast she presented in June.
It shows the deficit continuing to grow based on annual revenues averaging around $107 million while annual spending averages about $115 million.
The bottom line, if that trend continues, is that Youngstown's general fund deficit could grow to $44.6 million by 2012, the forecast showed. That's better than the June forecast, which showed a $48.3 million deficit by that date.
gwin@vindy.com
Thursday, November 8, 2007
The 9.5-mill levy should be back on the ballot in March.
THE VINDICATOR
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN — The city school board expects to have a new spending reduction plan in its hands before the end of December.
Dr. Wendy Webb, superintendent, told the board's Finance Committee on Wednesday the committee she formed some months ago to look for additional ways to cut district expenses is getting close to coming up with some recommendations.
The committee is looking at everything short of cutting academic programs, she said, noting that includes possibly closing the central administration building on Wood Street, ending the bus garage lease contract and a variety of other matters.
She said a plan should be ready to present to the board in December.
The district has managed to trim spending by $17 million over the last two years while eliminating 250 jobs.
Meanwhile, the 9.5-mill, five-year tax levy rejected by voters for the second time in Tuesday's election will likely be back on the ballot in March.
Treasurer Carolyn Funk told the committee the board must act by Dec. 20 to get the issue on that ballot.
The state fiscal oversight commission controlling district finances for the past year since Youngstown was placed in fiscal emergency as a result of a $15 million general fund deficit is expected to direct the school board to put the issue on the ballot again, Webb said.
The district, however, won't approach it as just a matter of trying again to get it passed, she said.
Supporters need to expand the grass-roots effort aimed at explaining the district's financial problems, the academic gains it is making and what its plans are, she said.
Face-to-face talks with voters and explaining what's happening in the district proved to be an effective way to get some people to change their minds about the levy this time, she said.
Webb has been talking about taking a community survey to gauge public opinion and wishes and said she plans to get that completed before the levy issue hits the ballot again.
Board member Lock P. Beachum Sr. said the district needs a strategic financial plan to be spelled out before the end of the year, and he asked Funk what the next step should be.
The district first needs to continue to look at additional spending reductions and put solid plans and timelines together, Funk said. Next, it must continue to put the levy issue forward, she said.
Funk also presented the Finance Committee with her latest version of the district's five-year financial forecast, which offered a slightly better picture than the forecast she presented in June.
It shows the deficit continuing to grow based on annual revenues averaging around $107 million while annual spending averages about $115 million.
The bottom line, if that trend continues, is that Youngstown's general fund deficit could grow to $44.6 million by 2012, the forecast showed. That's better than the June forecast, which showed a $48.3 million deficit by that date.
gwin@vindy.com
Thursday, November 8, 2007
The city school board expects to have a new spending reduction plan in its hands before the end of December.
Dr. Wendy...
