Massachusetts Association of
Regional Schools
|
|
|
| MARS Board Meeting MinutesSeptember 16, 2003Present: Stephen Hemman, Richard Scortino, Gene Carlo, Lynn Ryan, Clifford Fountain, Maureen Marshall Visitors: Marcia Lukon, John M. Roy Staff: Dee Dee Niswonger Minutes accepted. STATEWIDE ISSUES. State revenues increased during the second quarter enough to keep up with inflation but not enough to bring in new, unencumbered dollars. 140 million is needed to cover state retirement costs. Although revenues from the conference center and garage are now being used for income to meet this, that revenue is not enough to do the job. Currently it is expected that FY05 will need 800 million new money to keep up level spending. Retirement and Health insurance are two huge costs. Romney is expected to try to reduce retirement benefits. The large unions will be the major players in that fight. The largest cost for the state is SBAB. The previous administration left the state with too many bond debts. Discussion around that included benefits of several approved building plans from which communities/regions could choose, thereby saving much of the architect’s costs. TRANSPORTATION. The threat to vocational transportation may be in abeyance. More on that next month. The threat to all regional transportation is greater than ever at this time. Gov. Romney’s House One may come out with zero, zilch, nothing, for regional transportation. The current administration is interested in fees. Strategies for dealing with this will come in a separate e-mail. Also expect requests for information to develop a chart indicating the impact on districts without transportation reimbursement. Hard work in necessary to inform all your representatives about transportation needs. While the Senate has stayed relatively stable in it’s membership, there are many new reps. Each new wave of legislators needs to be educated about regional transportation—it is as on-going a task as teaching first grade every year. In the past MARS has been successful dealing with the strictly regional needs in transportation. David Driscoll, Commissioner of Education, is said to have said that he will support the regional transportation line item in this year’s budget. Discussion concerning rolling transportation into Chapter 70 resulted in a decision that such a move ultimately renders any rolled-in category (EEOG, regional incentive aid, etc.) lost. FY05 ISSUES. * Regional transportation. * Save Harmless. Further Areas of Concerns: * Charter schools and the funding problems there: can we afford them when we can’t fund the other public schools? * Lack of communication between DoE and the House/Senate Ed. Committee. * Lack of any formula for the distribution of “Chapter 70” funds. * Current educational audits being done which are designed to track every dollar spent in a school in relation to “raising the bar” towards MCAS. * The development of individual school district budgets for FY05—how do we calculate the dollars available? * Lack of SBAB funds for building and for major repairs—plan to pay for these locally. * Outcome of the Hancock case (one time McDuffy case). There may be a ruling in April and until then will any action happen on Beacon Hill relative to education? Respectfully submitted by Dee Dee Niswonger
For More Information Contact: |
|
Send mail to
webmaster@massassociationregionalschools.org with
questions or comments about this web site.
|