Acting KC Superintendent Calls for More Budget/Staff Cuts, Tax Increase
BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP – Keystone Central School District’s new acting superintendent Thursday night presented the school board and the public a path to get the district close to a balanced budget for the next school year. But it won’t be without pain.
The plan recommends even greater staffing cuts than originally proposed, plus a real estate tax hike and a $2 million drawdown from the district’s dwindling fund balance. At the conclusion of his power point presentation, Dr. Al Lonoconus said he would be seeking direction from the board over the next month as the district continues its effort to find ways to eliminate a pending $7 million deficit.
Per the Lonoconus, that deficit would drop to just over $900,000 for next year. His staffing reductions include 21 teaching positions, five administrative slots, two secretary slots and elimination of 10 support staff positions; also one assistant principal and an assistant principal.
Relative to teachers, slots on the chopping block include two English teachers; two art teachers; four music teachers; five special education teachers; four elementary positions; two career technology slots, one librarian and one Pre-K slot.
He proposes a tax hike of 3.3 percent to produce another $700,000 in income, a restructuring of district debt to save $1.7 million next year and utilizing a grant of $765,000 to maintain the district’s Pre-K program. According to the summary he presented Thursday night, the district’s working deficit would be reduced to $917,109.
Lonoconus did not propose closing Dickey Elementary School for the new school year, this as the district has scheduled a public hearing on that topic for next Monday night. The acting superintendent said he would be going into the community to gather additional input relative to the overall budget.
He identified the biggest budget problem as a continuing increase in costs while revenue remains flat. He termed as “the big monster” the district’s ballooning pension costs, what he called a statewide problem. As a point of reference ten years ago the KCSD pension contribution was $1.5 million; it will be $10.9 million next year.
The school board is scheduled to vote on a proposed budget at its May 17 meeting with a final vote on June 14.
