By Scott Harvey
Commerce – It remains uncertain as to how Texas lawmakers plan to cut education funding and how local school districts will respond.
The Commerce ISD held its first budget workshop on Monday. Superintendent Blake Cooper says the district is looking at between a seven to 15 percent cut to its next fiscal budget cycle. That ranges from about $800,000 to $1.5 million less.
"The issue you have is that when 80 percent of your budget is personnel driven, the only way you can get those kinds of cuts is through personnel." Cooper says. "We know we'll have some folks leave, some will retire, but not enough to make up the difference. We're looking at all kinds of things we can do other than just [cut] personnel, because ultimately that's the most important thing; is our teachers."
The district has a healthy fund balance worth about two months of operating costs. But Cooper believes the district may have to use those funds if the State decides to withhold payment in July and August so they themselves can better corral the deficit.
He says dipping into the rainy day fund would help, but "Eventually we're going to have to either revise the target revenue system or go to a formula-funding system the way it use to be."
There could be support locally behind an initiative to create a sliding scale method to help minimize cuts.
Cooper continued, "We've got a great [school] board here, and a compassionate board. They do not want teachers to be affected but the reality is we are no different than any other district in the State of Texas right now - unless they're a growing district - you're going to have to make some hard choices, pending funding."
Last fall, Commerce voters passed a tax ratification election that brought CISD from a $690,000 deficit to a $200,000 surplus.
"That was a lifesaver," Cooper said.
Legally, the district can't ask for another TRE this fall, nor would Cooper want to, as he felt voters were taxed enough prior to the November election. However, the district had already cut ten percent from its budget the previous two years, and didn't want to fall into a deeper hole.
Budget workshops for the 2011-2012 fiscal year will continue over the next several weeks.