School board avoids cutting salaries in budget action
By ALEXANDRA CALDWELL
Article published on Tuesday, June 17, 2008  |
PINELLAS COUNTY – The Pinellas County School Board finally voted on budget cuts June 10, agreeing to cut $28.1 million but not cutting salaries.
Employees’ health insurance will stay at the current ratio, with employees paying 20 percent of the cost and the board paying 80 percent. Decisions on raises was postponed until the fall, after the predicted state revenue cuts. However, the plan says it’s doubtful that funds for raises will become available.
The board also voted to continue with the three-tier transportation system for 2008-09 with plans to move to a two-plus system as soon as the 2009-10 school year. Analysis showed that going to a two-plus system in 2008-09 would cost more because so many students chose to be grandfathered into their current schools rather than attend their close-to-home school.
The plan also implements a six-out-of-seven period day for the middle schools, with students taking seven classes and teachers teaching six. The plan says this will be implemented in high schools for the 2009-10 school year.
If any money becomes available from workers’ compensation expenditures for 2007-08, the board voted to apply the money toward its priorities. One possibility is to restore some of the middle and high school assistant positions that were cut.
In her closing remarks, board member Mary Tyus Brown thanked faculty and staff for their dedication and reminded them that the cuts are difficult for the board members, but the time has come for tough decisions.
“Know that these budget cuts that we’re going through, they’re not our choice,” Brown said. “We have had something put upon us that we just have to deal with the end result of it. With the passing of Amendment One, we lost funds, and this year we will lose more funds, but we can get through this because as staff persons and all of your persons, you are great people, and we know that you care about this district and that you will do the best job that you can do, no matter what, and I thank you for that.”
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Article published on Tuesday, June 17, 2008
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