During its most recent meeting, the school board backed a proposed 2011-2012 final budget, which contains a 1.4 percent tax increase, by a vote of 8-0. This vote reaffirms the plans to operate within the state mandated cap on spending. A final vote on the $65.8 million spending plan will take place in June.
The tax hike adheres to the Act 1 spending cap for the district which is a ceiling set by the state, using a formula tied to the rate of inflation. It also represents the lowest increase in recent memory and is part of steadily declining pattern of tax boosts in the district.
Superintendent Richard Noonan listed Wallingford-Swarthmore tax hikes dating back the previous five fiscal years.
2006 – 2007 8.0%
2007 – 2008 6.0%
2008 – 2009 5.8%
2009 – 2010 2.8%
2010 – 2011 2.9%
The district could have taken more than $1.9 million in exceptions to Act 1, but opted not to do so. Areas that qualify for these waivers include retirement contributions and special education expenses.
Board member Michael Rinaldi also said it was a “real accomplishment” for Wallingford-Swarthmore to stay below the index considering many other districts are struggling to do so.
In March, Noonan discussed how a reduction in state funding would impact the district. He cited those cuts again, pointing out the cuts would include a roughly $240,000 drop in the Basic Education Subsidy; about $200,000 less in Accountability Block Grant funds; and a reduction of nearly $200,000 in Social Security reimbursements for workers hired after July 1, 1994.
In addition, the spending plan would eliminate partial reimbursements for students who live in the district but attend charter schools. That would equate to a decrease of about $46,000.
One way the district plans to cope with the cuts will be to end an extended-day kindergarten program, which sought to target special-needs students at an early age, since it was paid for with Accountability Block Grant funds.
