City Schools Superintendent Gary Bloom says that the district’s schools are in relatively good shape financially, for this year at least. After making difficult cuts, he doesn’t anticipate any further challenges to the tight budget of $60 million. Next year, however, is an entirely different story. Schools will likely be forced to make even more cuts, and revenues from property taxes could decline again.
Fortunately, the district is taking small steps to ameliorate the situation. Yesterday, it started consolidating on office space, moving employees from rented properties to properties already owned by the school district. Buses are now being parked at Harbor High School, and the maintenance and operations office has been moved to a district-owned property on Palm Street.
According to Bloom, the total savings is $110,000, “a drop in the bucket” compared to the entire school budget. But these drops add up he says, and allow the school district to save the job of one and a half teachers or a librarian. As it preps for next year’s budget wars, the district is trying to save everywhere it can.
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