district budget cuts

["Lois Melina" <lmelina@moscow.com>]

John,
The school district has done an excellent job of asking for input on the
proposed budget cuts.
After receiving yet another request for input in the mail today, it
occurred to me that if I don't like some of the cuts, e.g. teacher cuts,
perhaps it would be appropriate for me to suggest alternatives. $325,000
for teacher cuts is a big hunk of the $700,000 you have to cut. So I
stopped by the district office to take a look at the proposed budget, but
was told it isn't available and won't be until AFTER the public meeting
next week asking for input.

If the district has to cut $700,000 and these are the only budget items
that have been identified, then what happens if you get feedback from the
community that overwhelmingly says "No--we don't want to cut asbestos
removal (or teachers, or the strings program)"? Could the district perhaps
identify $1,000,000 in possible cuts so that we know what we're choosing
between? Has the teachers union, which opposes the teacher cuts, suggested
alternatives to that particular $325,000? Is there a proposed budget
anywhere that district patrons could look at to suggest alternatives?

Lois
*****************************
Lois Melina
Editor, "Adopted Child" newsletter
P.O. Box 9362
Moscow ID 83843 USA
1-208-882-1794
orders: 1-888-882-1794
fax: 1-208-883-8035
Email: Lmelina@moscow.com
http://www.raisingadoptedchildren.com