School Board Tweaks Budget Proposal, Expects Shortfall Next Year
As the Upper Dublin School Board puts the finishing touches on their budget for upcoming school year, they point to a potential $2 million shortfall in the near future.
The School District of Upper Dublin presented their revised final-budget proposal during Monday night’s meeting, which contained a handful of minor adjustments to both revenue and expenditures, leading to roughly $50,000 in added savings.
The budget proposal requires a 4.25-percent increase in property taxes in order to meet the $85,412,540 operating budget for the 2012-2013 school year. A total of $47,566,852 will go to salaries and retirement contributions, and debt services will account for more than 15-percent of the budget at $13,122,881.
The school board stated that the increase in debt service -- which has risen $1.9 million over the last two years – is due to the final portions of the high school project coming online.
On the revenue side, the district expects to bring in $70,316,857 locally, with an additional $11,929,897 from the state and $417,000 in federal revenue. The remaining difference -- $2,748,786 -- is being pulled from the fund balance, which leaves the district with an estimated fund balance of $704,267 for the following year and paves the way for a potential $2 million shortfall.
“Unless we come up with additional reductions in costs, other savings, or alternative revenues, the hole that we’ll face a year from now could be an issue for us,” said Superintendent Michael Pladus.
Pladus pointed to some of the board’s cost-saving initiatives, such as the Early Retirement Incentive Program, which saved $582,011 in salary, as well as well as the transportation partnership with Springfield Township School District, but he added that more measures would be required in order to balance next year’s budget.
“Virtually everything we’re doing is addressing that budget reality,” said Pladus. “Virtually every possible effort moving forward is an attempt to face the realization that there very well may be a gap between our expenses and revenues a year from now.”
The school board will formally adopt the 2012-2013 operating budget during their meeting on June 13 at the Upper Dublin High School cafeteria.
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See Also:
Superintendent Warns Of Future Budget Difficulties
School District Passes Budget Proposal Including Tax Increase
Upper Dublin School Board Proposes 4.25-Percent Tax Increase
Curmudgeon
5:43 am on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Whatever they say, they are looking for a Referendum to raise taxes more than the State permits. This will not happen next year as it is an election year. I urge all those to remember this and ask all those candidates to pledge not to permit a referendum!! ASLO NO ASSISTANT SUPERINDENDENT!!!! There is so much fluff in this budget, there will be $3 million left for next year.
Phil Goldstein
8:23 am on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
4.5% property tax increase. Wonder what that figure will be when Sandy Run is rebuilt?? Or is the school board just waiting for the township's population to "age out?"
E Dubya
8:32 am on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
UDSD has to tighten their belts - the fact they haven't for the last three years is why they, and we, are in this situation. The more they increase taxes the more people people consider leaving for other good school districts that are more fiscally responsible.
ee
8:36 am on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
what is the UDSD employee co-pay on insurance? i bet a small tweak there to what is likely a small number right now would cover this gap.
UpsetUDTaxpayer
10:17 am on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
I am so sick of hearing,"Make the teachers pay"! So many of the people that read the Patch make UD teachers out to be greedy, money grubbing, uncaring evil individuals that sip Mai-Tais all summer long while they eat caviar by their gold plated pools and drive BMWs. This could not be further from the truth! I have students in two UD schools and my experience across the board is that our teachers not only care about our kids but put in extra effort and go the extra mile for them, DAY IN AND DAY OUT! Every teacher that my children have had, show up to work early and/or stay late to work with the kids that are struggling. They have also always been available to discuss my children's needs.
We need to protect our teachers. Let them know they are valued. They are the ones that work hard to make OUR children ready for college and the world beyond 12th grade. When did teachers become the enemy here? When did they go from a profession of people that were respected for their role and importance in society to nothing more than an expendable high end baby sitter?
BTW... UD teachers are paid slightly less than the average pay of Bucks & Montco Teachers. There has also been articles about how the Teachers just joined a benefit co-op to save money for the district, increased their hours (without additional pay), each gave $1,000 to UD and have now been put in harms way thanks to St. Mary's. They are doing their part!
To any teacher reading this, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!
ee
11:21 am on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
@UpsetUD Taxpayer - I have nothing but respect and admiration for teachers that truly care about their work and the education and welfare of their students. This includes members of my own family that chose teaching as their career path. my comment doesnt imply that they are greedy, money grubbing, etc as you state. It also doesnt imply that they are the enemy - quite the contrary. We all need to be partners in this.
The reality is that the increasing costs of education here are far outpacing inflation - certainly outpacing earnings growth for 90% of the residents in UD. So the question is, how do you address that issue? The current approach is unsustainable, and will ultimately drive taxpayers out of the district only increasing the pain for all of us who are committed to UD. So what else can be done? I dont believe my question undermines teachers in any way - doesnt call them greedy, doesnt tell them they arent valued or respected. Like anything else where there are "revenues" (in this case taxes) and costs, it needs to be managed. Competitive businesses cant raise prices above inflation forever without ramifications - the same is ultimately true for school districts / government spending. Lets make smart decisions that keep UDSD great and allows people to remain homeowners in the district. It CAN be done - but it requires effort. Platitudes, broad generalizations, and unfounded inferences wont cut it.
UpsetUDTaxpayer
12:16 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
@EE
My apologies if you felt my diatribe was directly attributed to your post. I have just been monitoring the ongoing struggle within our district, and have seen numerous posts stating teachers are overpaid, don't work hard enough, other districts have better scores, etc. While I acknowledge you did not say anything other than look at benefits, your post just hit a sore spot with me. I apologize for any offense, if you felt directed toward you. I do agree that teachers are our partners and that times are tough for everyone.
ee
2:27 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
@UpsetUDTaxpayer - i appreciate it and agree. thanks.
UpsetUDTaxpayer
9:23 am on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
I wonder how much of this gap is due to Philadelphia's students attending the district via St. Mary's? Philly still owe us a few hundred thousand from 2 years ago, and the bill for this past year is over $1.8M! That does not even include the "soft charges" like the cost of having to hire deans and behavioral specialists, legal fees, all of the IEP tests, etc...etc... and that cost is NOT included!
Joe Koenig
9:47 am on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
There are four (4) board members up for reelection next year. The Board is issentially all Democrats. The Upper Dublin Republican Committee is looking to field an oppostion slate for November 2013. This requires running in the primary (probably next April or May) since candidates are permitted to cross-file. If you are tired of the same tax and spend policies, and interested in running, feel free to contact me, or the UD Republican Committee. We could also use some more faces at the School Board meetings to show the Board our displeasure. There is no need for them to change unless they feel the outrage of the community.
doc
10:28 am on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Have the School Board take a look at what Governor Walker did in Wisconsin and his popularity actually increased? They could learn a lesson about "Tweaking"!
Bob Richter
2:45 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
As the Federal Government and the state cut funding even more, property taxes will sky rocket. Time to increase class size; time to eliminate defined contribution plans; time to eliminate many administers; time to charge for health benefits. Actually, time to get in step with us other human mortals out here and have the public unions pay their own way.
Moderate
3:52 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
@Joe- the board currently has 4 Republicans
@Upset- benefits co-op did not cost teachers any money and the increase in hours was part of the last contract in which they did receive a decent pay increase- so it was not for free. Many do a good job. Some are terrible- we need to get rid of the bad teachers so we get a better return on investment. If I were a very good teacher I would resent others making the same money for doing less.
UpsetUDTaxpayer
8:53 am on Thursday, June 7, 2012
@ Moderate: Like every group of people, you have excellent and you have those that are less than desirable. We all had a teacher that we knew in school that sucked. We have all had a teacher that changed our lives for the better. I'm sure that those teachers that work hard every day have issues with those that are ineffective or don't even bother trying. The problem is, how do we assess a teacher's ability to connect with students and move them forward, especially in subjects other than Math/English? We have the PSSA / Keystone tests to show us how the kids are at this time but the tests fall short in their ability to assess how the individual students are tracking. They look at the "grade as a whole" not where each student started the year, and where they ended the year. It also does not take into account issues that may arise in a student's life that may effect their ability on a given year (parents divorce, homelessness, moving, bullied, etc). Add to that the huge increase of Individualized Education Plans, special education, preferential rostering of classes, etc and you have a mess trying to sort things out. Am I for education reform? Most definitely. But we need to figure out a fair, equitable way in which to encourage performance.
Joe Koenig
5:20 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
@Moderate: Please, Levinowitz and Good were not endorsed after they refused to run with the other Republican candidates. They ran on the slate with the Democrats. . The only other Republican that I am aware of is Dr. Resnick. The rest are Democrats. The Republicans ran two (2) candidates last election. They were not elected. Please get your facts straight!!!
Paul Pender
5:26 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
I am so sick and tired of the UDSD and Teacher's union screwing the taxpayer. Oh look another School District is paying their teacher's more so we need to pay ours more and a New Shiny HS so that we can pat ourselves on the back and tell the neighbors how great we are in this twp. If a teacher is upset because of what they make is not as much as the next Twp, then go the Hell to the other twp. Nobody is stopping these teachers from going elsewhere. I have lived in my home for 26 yrs and today I am putting it up for sale. I am on a fixed income and I am not a lawyer, doctor or CPA who can bill more hours and raise my income. I don't care about whether or not they are Republican or Democrat, they are both the same in this twp. The UDSD board could care less about the taxpayers because if they did, things might be different. I look around and I see nothing but crap in this twp. The only decent Supermarket in this twp is George's Shop N Bag. Acme, dump, Super Fresh, thankfully closed, Genuardi's dumpy. What makes Upper Dublin sit there and tell the world how great we are when other areas look so much better.
The Commisioners are not much better. They approve building a new Fire station in front of the HS, makes no sense to me since traffic is so bad in the morning or afternoon. I would hate to be a volunteer firefighter trying to get to the staion in traffic. Geniuses
So fed up
danny roturra
10:50 pm on Wednesday, June 6, 2012
after perusing the comments i find that most people agree that the school board is out of control, except, perhaps, for the teacher apologists/loyalists. this combine of inepts have no perspective of the community or the economy in general. the blackmail the community with their charade of caring for the 'children' , but the truth be known they're more focused on utopian ideals and power which blinds them to the job of making optimal choices. we taxpayers cannot continue compound tax increases while they team play irresponsibility through ideology that has no mapping to reality. i have stated on many occasions that programs must be cut. people that want/need them can pay for them from THEIR finances...not mine. i did it for mine, why can't they do it for theirs?
Irresponsibility needs to stop
7:44 pm on Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Private companies got rid of defined benefit plans long ago because they could not afford them. What makes Upper Dublin think they can. I dont know about you but these taxes are rising higher than my pay. I didn't get a raise in 2011 due to the economy, my 2012 raise was eaten by school tax increase, 2013's raise will go to increased retirement taxes so i am actually going to make less money in 2013 due to Obama and the school taxes. We can not continue like this. I agree more Republicans on the school board and definitely no asst. super ....in my company jobs are being downsized and the rest of us have to pick up the extra work...oh right but I am not a government employee that is unionized (like the teachers). How do other schools do it without raising taxes but UD keeps on going up and up? I am fed up. Great point regarding the St. Mary costs...dont forget the special busing they get to the school. My kids take forever to get home and the bus is always late in the morning so i have to drive them to school. I say cut the fluff administrators, raise the co-pay for healthcare like the rest of us and get the money from Philadelphia. I hope the school board looks at these comments.