Difficult decisions
Pretty soon the members of the Durham-Hillsboro-Lehigh board of education will be "earning their keep," as the saying goes.
That's because they've got a huge, unenviable task ahead of them — try to come up with $170,000.
The school board got the bad news Monday night. But they were probably expecting it, since at a previous meeting they learned that the budget for the 2003-04 school year will be more than $100,000 lower than previously planned. Chalk that up to state budget problems and a $27 base budget per pupil reduction last fall.
Combine the $100,000 with another $65,000 — which is what the district will pay if it gives its employees a two percent pay raise — and you've got the $170,000 total.
It's money that will have to come from somewhere. But where?
The school district has a variety of options, none of them desirable. To get more money, it could raise the mill levy. Charge fees to participate in sports. Charge students for driver's education. Raise textbook rental fees.
Or instead of raising funds, the district could cut costs. There are plenty of options there too — eliminate assistant coaching positions. Eliminate athletic programs, either at the high school or middle school level. Stop running the 6 p.m. activity bus. Eliminate teaching positions. Reduce the number of field trips.
Obviously, nobody wants to do these things. It's going to be a very hard decision,
And the board could use your help.
What are your thoughts? Where would you be willing to pay more? Or what would you be willing to do without?
Superintendent Gordon Mohn said it best Monday night: If the public overwhelmingly says, for example, 'We want a mill levy increase,' then the decision is easy. The board would do what the public wants.
But it probably won't be that easy. So look over the list of options — what to cut, what to raise — and let your representatives and school officials know what you think.
They've got a rough road ahead.
— JENNIFER WILSON
