“There is a long road ahead before we adopt a new budget next October. We have a long time to strategize to address and reduce to possible deficit so we can present a balanced budget.”
~ WHS business manager Dave Betz
By Gail Peckler-Dziki~Correspondent
Wilmot High School business manager Dave Betz reported a preliminary budget deficit of $317,162 for 2013-2014. “We use a five year model to project the budget,” he said. “This is a model used by many Wisconsin school districts.”
The model utilizes numerous assumptions and Betz reported on those that have the biggest impact, including projected school population, staffing increases and decreases. Betz said that the revenue cap per pupil increase that would be allowed by the state could range somewhere between nothing to $200.
“Right now we are assuming the amount to be $50, based on what was allowed last year and what we hear coming out of Madison,” he said.
State aid for special education is expected to rise by 6 percent to the tune of $30,000 for this next school year. In 2011, special education aid rose by .66 percent and by 2 percent in 2012.
State allowed revenue cap per pupil increase was $200 per pupil in 2010 and decreased by $600 in 2011. The district is also expecting a salary increase of two percent. In 2011, the total salary amount went down by 6.95 percent since retiree and some other positions were not replaced. In 2011 insurance costs dropped 11.8 percent because of a change in carrier and the decrease in teaching staff.
In 2012, costs dropped 7 percent because of a change in plan that included a drop in staff, a higher deductible, and change in prescription coverage and office co-pays that were instituted.
It is expected that the insurance costs will rise by five percent this year. That is based, according to Betz, on historical data and realistic approximations.
“There is a long road ahead,” Betz said, “before we adopt a new budget next October. We have a long time to strategize to address and reduce to possible deficit so we can present a balanced budget.”
Using the foundation created by Betz in the budget projection, administrator Dan Kopp and the rest of the leadership team will now swing into action with the school board finance committee to determine how to chop that possible deficit down to size to reach that balanced budget.