INDIAN RIVER COUNTY – The Indian River County School District could spare its non-mandated middle school reading programs if it levies a property tax increase. That increase, school officials say, would amount to approximately 65 cents a week for most homeowners.
The School Board met Thursday morning to discuss the impact such a tax increase could have on the district’s bottom line for the upcoming fiscal year. Officials believe the increase could generate more than $3.5 million. Of that, though, only $1.5 million would be spent within the budget. The remainder would be reserved for the following 2011-12 fiscal year, when district officials fear even more budget cuts would have to be made.
Hundreds of parents have contacted the various School Board members and district staff requesting the non-mandatory reading classes for middle schools be saved, Board member Matt McCain said during the workshop.
The district had proposed cutting reading classes for students who scored a high 3 or higher in reading on the FCAT.
The latest budget proposal figures in the property tax increase, which could be used to fund four reading teaching positions for the upper level 3 students and four positions for advanced reading electives for level 4 and 5 students.
The cost amounts to $375,376.
“We did hear the request for reading,” Superintendent Dr. Harry La Cava told the board, which is why the staff worked to incorporate the eight teachers into the budget.
The remaining $1.12 million would go toward purchasing math textbooks and staff two health assistant positions.
School Board Chair Karen Disney-Brombach told her fellow board members that the budget the Florida legislature is currently considering factors in every school district issuing the property tax increase.
This year, the School Board can issue the increase by a “supermajority” vote – a vote of four more in approval. The next year, however, that increase would have to go to the public as a ballot referendum.
Disney-Brombach said if the School Board does not approve the increase, that will mean even less funds for the district as the Florida Senate budget will not make up the difference.
Along with considering the option to levy a higher tax to generate revenue, the School District staff also presented plans for more trims to the budget, cutting $13.26 million – $630,281 more than it needed to given the district’s projections.
Staff has since recommended reinstating nine media assistant positions, at a cost of $241,992.
The left over funds would then be used to make up for budget shortfalls the following year.
Another cut the district expects to make includes an additional 2.5 percent salary cut for the board members, taking the amount to 7.5 percent. That, paired with other reductions to the board members’ budget – for instance, travel – would save the district $18,628.
The board took a voluntary 5 percent cut last year.
Other cuts include eliminating a telecommunications specialist position and a building code compliance inspector position for a total of $149,501.
The School Board is planning another budget workshop on April 13 where members will review the proposal again and make recommendations. The board would then vote on those budget reduction recommendations at a board meeting on April 27.
The School District’s budget is not expected to be finalized until September after two public hearings.