- By Matthew P. Binkewicz
- Opinions
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The recent newsletter from the Lansing Schools paints a grim picture. No pun intended. In his opening remarks, Superintendent Grim pointed out the shortfall in taxes that will have a dramatic effect on calculating next year’s school budget. State aid to our district will be reduced by $420,000. This should come as no surprise as Albany wrestles with balancing the state budget while negotiating a large decrease in tax revenue. A steep drop in sales-tax collections between 2008 and 2009 is another sign that the state’s recession is not over. State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said that counties across New York had one of the sharpest declines in sales-tax collections on record between 2008 and 2009, dropping 5.9 percent.
If this decrease in state aid was not enough bad news for residents, AES Cayuga, Lansing’s largest taxpayer, is renegotiating a PILOT agreement with the County that could see a decrease in tax revenue totaling some $500,000.
The combined loss of tax revenue approaching the million dollar mark will have an enormous impact on our schools. The School Board and Administration will have to make some difficult choices as they prepare the 2010-11 budget. These decisions will certainly include the elimination of jobs and cuts to certain programs.
Lansing is not the only area school facing a tough economic outlook. Earlier this week, the Auburn School Board addressed its own decrease in state aid. The overall funding for the district's instructional budget is down approximately $350,000. In their monthly meeting the board announced that they will eliminate 13 instructional positions.
In addition to the downsizing the workforce, the board introduced a proposal to cut nine modified sports teams. The nine teams are “duplicate” teams such as modified West and East basketball teams. These will be combined into one team.
The reduction in state aid and local tax revenues will result in similar job losses in our school district. There is no doubt that the School Board and Superintendent will have to cut several after school activities ones that teach our children important lessons and skills. These losses extend well beyond the economic sphere and hit at the heart of our children’s overall education.
The short term reality points to a difficult time ahead for school boards and legislatures. Job cuts are never pleasant. They affect the entire community. But our community has demonstrated its ability to face a crisis head on in the past with good planning, fiscal responsibility, and ways to solve issues on our own. A new challenge awaits us, and I am sure our talented leaders and concerned parents can bride the gap in revenues. Clearly, we have a way to go before prosperity returns to our region, but all of us are called to do our share. And that is to the point.
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