Governor Granholm’s cuts have schools scrambling
Public schools were not spared in a new round of state budget cuts. It means more budget adjustments for Presque Isle County schools. The Rogers City Area Schools, which has done it?s share of belting tightening lately, will have to find news ways to make cuts after Gov. Jennifer Granholm reduced the foundation allowance to state schools.
For Rogers City, it means a reduction of $93 per student from the $6,700 FY 2003 foundation grants. It amounts to a loss of some $70,000 from this year?s budget. ?According to the provisions, the legislature has 30 days to come up with something different,? said Don Schaedig, district chief financial officer. ?If it?s not changed, it?ll go into effect automatically.?
Granholm made the decision last week. Onaway is facing a reduction of $90.71 per student, while Posen?s cut is $78.36, according to a release from the House Fiscal Agency.
?That?s a little bit of a bite, because two months ago we already took out $70,000,? said Schaedig. The deficit was at $167,000. ?I?m looking at all the line items that we haven?t spent yet,? Schaedig continued. ?We have some capital outlay items that we haven?t spent. It?s a couple of thousand dollars, here and there, but when you add it all up, it?s only a small, small amount.?
Schaedig isn?t sure what they?ll do to balance the budget but the finance committee will be meeting to talk about what needs to be done. School aid fund projections are about $134 million below previous estimates.
