DANNEMORA — The golden age of education spending is over, says Kenneth Cringle.
The Saranac Central School superintendent is trying to manage a nearly $4 million budget deficit, which will likely be tackled by a tax increase, staffing cuts and other cost reductions.
NO RAISE
To do his part, Cringle has opted, for the second year in a row, to not take a salary increase.
"It is truly the right choice for our students, as well as our community," he said.
"I hope this gesture influences others to consider similar contributions to help mitigate reductions to student programs and services."
School Board President Tracy Allen thinks Cringle's decision to decline a pay raise again "is a wonderful gesture on his part. It speaks volumes and was very well received by the board."
MILLIONS LOST
Gov. Andrew Cuomo's budget proposal would cut state aid to Saranac Central School by $2.1 million. Lawmakers statewide have said there is no money and that practically every agency is going to feel the pain of cuts, which doesn't bode well for schools such as Saranac Central seeing aid restored when the state finalizes its budget.
Until then, school officials are working off projections, using Cuomo's proposal to guide the process.
The district will spend $1.7 million more on employee costs, such as health insurance, State Retirement System contributions and obligated salary increases, in its 2011-12 spending plan.
"We have a $3.8 million budget gap that we have to contend with," Cringle said.
SEEKING IDEAS
Saranac Central officials strive to maintain quality programs and services while keeping a tight rein on spending, Cringle said. But this is the worst budget he's seen in more than 30 years.
He and his administrative team are examining the budget line by line and will first turn to non-personnel items to reduce costs as they review all departments and services.
Over the past few years, Cringle has tried to ensure it is a collaborative process involving all employee groups. He is enlisting staff ideas for cost savings.
SHARED SERVICES
Cringle is considering a three-year plan using reserve funds to chip away at the deficit. The district also has $715,000 in Education Jobs funds to help bridge the budget gap.
"We are also in conversations with neighboring districts to share district-office services, such as clerical and payroll," Cringle said.
"Last year, we shared buildings and grounds and maintenance."
All vacant positions are under scrutiny, and the district is looking to bring back some services from Champlain Valley Educational Services.
LEVY GOAL
The first draft of the budget totalled roughly $32 million and does nothing more than maintain what the district currently offers. The School Board has instructed Cringle to present a budget that carries, at most, a 2-to-6-percent tax-levy increase.
That won't happen without staffing reductions, he said.
"The struggling economy has dramatically exposed the inability of some school districts like Saranac to provide appropriate funding for students due to the region's economic condition," Cringle said. "The lack of resources limits Saranac's ability to provide equitable programs and services for our students similar to other public schools across the state.
"Our legislators need to review and revise public-school aid formulas to correct this student funding inequity."
But he said there are few indicators that funding will ever be restored to previous levels.
"To me, the golden age of education spending is over as we know it.
"There are inequities in the funding formula. Districts like Saranac seem to be hit the worst, and there is a wider and wider gap between school districts. Why should a school, say, in Plattsburgh, get less money to educate a child than a school in Long Island?"
E-mail Stephen Bartlett at: sbartlett@pressrepublican.com
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