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City school board publicly opposes state taking funds

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By Katheran Wasson
November 18, 2009

The Frankfort Independent school board joined the chorus of educators publicly opposing the use of district contingency funds to balance the state budget.

Superintendent Rich Crowe and Board of Education members signed a resolution Tuesday opposing the use of the funds to offset a predicted $161 million shortfall for the current fiscal year. 

The Franklin County Board of Education and other Kentucky school boards have signed similar resolutions.

House Speaker Greg Stumbo said in October that lawmakers could consider using the reserves, which some have estimated to be in the hundreds of millions. 

The state requires that school districts keep 2 percent of their budgets in a rainy day fund, but many save more. FIS included a 4.6 percent contingency in its $9 million working budget.

Board member Jina Greathouse said the district’s $400,000 contingency is more than just a “rainy day fund.”

“It is that, and it does come in handy in the case of emergencies,” she said. 

“But it’s also sometimes a tool for financial planning, and a way of putting some money back or holding onto it so we can pay for a school bus out of our general fund, instead going through the loan process.”

Frankfort Independent’s contingency fund contains revenue from different sources, she said, including tuition, local taxes and state funds.

“I think there is a great deal of thought that should go into this before any legislator should decide that they are to take these funds from any school district,” she said. 

 




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 3 Total Comments
3.
    Posted by trying November 19, 2009
nomder, I'm not sure what activities you'd like to see discontinued. Most of the activities at school such as festivals, fun incentives etc are usually organized and financed by the PTA. PTA also often arranges for guest groups to perform and/or speak to the children. Even a lot of the awards are organized and paid for by the PTA. The PTA is non-profit and is funded by member ship dues and fundraisers.

The schools are pretty much at bare bones. The legislature emptied most of their rainy day fund with wasteful spending. When the 'rain' came there was not much left... now they are trying to raid the funds of those who've been diligent to keep their 'rainy day' fund for what they were for 'rainy days'..

I'm glad they are protesting it somewhat. Hopefully it won't fall on deaf ears...

2.
    Posted by nomder November 19, 2009
I would gladly stand up with any school board to protest the taking of school funds. I could see discontinuing some activities at schools, and thereby needing less funding, but, do not take away funds which the schools have responsibly saved.

Perhaps we need some school administrators in our legislature.

1.
    Posted by RangerDanger November 18, 2009
Educators, welcome to the world of rank and file state employees... They think your wallet = their cookie jar.

Way to stand up to them, not that they'll listen.

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