WEEDSPORT - Weedsport Central School District Superintendent Shaun O'Connor is
not happy about Gov. George Pataki's proposed budget for schools.
And he's not shy about sharing his feelings.
O'Connor blasted the budget proposal during a school board meeting Monday, asking aloud, “Is public education under attack?”
O'Connor gave a PowerPoint review during which he outlined the budget lines for the proposed 3.02 percent increase for the district. Weedsport is slated for the largest of six school budget hikes in the Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES component district. O'Connor illustrated that the increase consists primarily of reimbursements for money already spent.
Weedsport will get $140 in building outlay, almost $156,000 for special education expenses and nearly $269,000 for transportation aid.
These three budget lines fall under the category of expense-driven - or “spend more get more” - assistance. The money, O'Connor said, was spent last year.
Categorical expenses, another grouping in a budget that O'Connor likened to a “three-legged stool,” included $144 for hardware and technology (“A school can't even buy one computer for that,” O'Connor said) and $683 for software and textbooks. The state froze money for fuel, benefits, salaries and pensions this year - costs that fall under the sub-heading of “unrestricted spending.”
The self-described “rookie” superintendent followed up his presentation with a series of dispassionate observations on the budget proposal. Of the STARS Plus rebate, which guarantees taxpayers a $400 rebate if the district's budget results in tax levies of 4 percent or less, O'Connor said, “We have a choice between denying taxpayers a benefit and cutting student programs.”
The superintendent also criticized the governor's proffered tax credits for parents of students in school districts that are failing the No Child Left Behind mandate.
In other news:
- Weedsport High School plans to implement new mathematics courses to address new state regents requirements.
- High school students taking advanced French and Spanish classes will have the opportunity to receive college credit from SUNY Oswego. Students can still get high school credit for taking the classes.
- The board approved three new social studies electives and a new science elective to the high school curriculum.
Staff writer Olivia Goldberg can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 235 or at olivia.goldberg@lee.net
And he's not shy about sharing his feelings.
O'Connor blasted the budget proposal during a school board meeting Monday, asking aloud, “Is public education under attack?”
O'Connor gave a PowerPoint review during which he outlined the budget lines for the proposed 3.02 percent increase for the district. Weedsport is slated for the largest of six school budget hikes in the Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES component district. O'Connor illustrated that the increase consists primarily of reimbursements for money already spent.
Weedsport will get $140 in building outlay, almost $156,000 for special education expenses and nearly $269,000 for transportation aid.
These three budget lines fall under the category of expense-driven - or “spend more get more” - assistance. The money, O'Connor said, was spent last year.
Categorical expenses, another grouping in a budget that O'Connor likened to a “three-legged stool,” included $144 for hardware and technology (“A school can't even buy one computer for that,” O'Connor said) and $683 for software and textbooks. The state froze money for fuel, benefits, salaries and pensions this year - costs that fall under the sub-heading of “unrestricted spending.”
The self-described “rookie” superintendent followed up his presentation with a series of dispassionate observations on the budget proposal. Of the STARS Plus rebate, which guarantees taxpayers a $400 rebate if the district's budget results in tax levies of 4 percent or less, O'Connor said, “We have a choice between denying taxpayers a benefit and cutting student programs.”
The superintendent also criticized the governor's proffered tax credits for parents of students in school districts that are failing the No Child Left Behind mandate.
In other news:
- Weedsport High School plans to implement new mathematics courses to address new state regents requirements.
- High school students taking advanced French and Spanish classes will have the opportunity to receive college credit from SUNY Oswego. Students can still get high school credit for taking the classes.
- The board approved three new social studies electives and a new science elective to the high school curriculum.
Staff writer Olivia Goldberg can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 235 or at olivia.goldberg@lee.net
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