BSD Exercises Caution With 2012-2013 Budget

The Board of Trustees adopted a budget for the 2012-2013 school year Tuesday night after ending the 2011-2012 school year with healthy reserves, but uncertain state funding still looms.

With midyear cuts pending based on the outcome of a statewide November tax initiative, district officials proceeded with caution while crafting the upcoming year’s budget.

If the tax initiative fails, Burlingame can expect a reduction in state funding of about $441 per student, or $1,323,000 million, so the district planned accordingly.

“This adopted budget tonight includes the $1.3 million trigger,” said BSD Chief Business Officer and Assistant Superintendent Robert Clark. “If the trigger reductions are not pulled, we can basically add approximately 7 percent to the general fund.”

Burlingame is also contending with a loss of Federal stimulus dollars received in the past few years, as well as an adjusted deficit revenue limit amount from 19.754 percent to 22.272 percent. This means for every revenue limit dollar the State owes BSD, the state keeps about 22 cents.

However, the district has the help of a parcel tax approved in 2011, which raises $650,000 annually for four years.

The proposed budget also takes into consideration an estimated enrollment of 3,094 and an increase in utilities and operational costs.

Regardless of reserves of 9.39 percent, and even if the November tax initiative passes, Clark said he would still recommend moving forward with caution.

“Given how Sacramento has worked in the past….they’ll find a way to make a cut in education,” he said.

BSD additionally added seven staff members for the 2012-2013 school year: two Spanish Immersion teachers, four teachers for kindergarten and one Transitional Kindergarten teacher.

The Burlingame Community for Education Foundation is still about $40,000 from reaching its $1 million goal by June 30. If it achieves its goal, the district has promised a science specialist for the year.

District staff are working towards placing a facilities bond measure on the November 2012 ballot with funds going towards to facilities modernization and the , creating more space for BSD’s growing enrollment.

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