Mark Roosevelt has had to deliver a lot of disappointing news during his three and a half years as Pittsburgh schools superintendent: the need to close school buildings for efficiencies; the shuttering of Schenley High School because of structural deterioration; reductions in the district's staff, including 153 teaching jobs cut before this school year began; and continuing drops in enrollment.

At budget time, though, Mr. Roosevelt has always managed to come up with good news for city residents. For the eighth consecutive budget, and the fourth under his direction, no tax increases are proposed to fund operations of the school district. Mr. Roosevelt and school board have been adamant about not raising taxes.

The $526.3 million spending plan for 2009 is a fraction lower than this year's, which is no small feat given the way prices of just about everything are going up. For example, district payments for charter schools, which were $27.7 million this year, will go up to $35.8 million; bus transportation, now $20.9 million, will cost $23.9 million.

Since Mr. Roosevelt became superintendent in 2005, the district has cut significantly into its deficit: city schools were $72 million in the hole then and, for next year, the anticipated deficit is $13.4 million.

Arriving at a balanced budget without raising taxes requires making difficult choices throughout the year, and Mr. Roosevelt has done that. In presenting the 2009 budget, he warned that more tough cuts are still to come. He intends to eliminate about 25 jobs that are vacant in the central office, reduce overtime and improve controls over health care and workers compensation expenses.

The superintendent and the board understand how vital a role the school district can play in attracting and keeping middle-class families in the city. Keeping the focus on improving student achievement, expanding magnet school offerings, introducing the Pittsburgh Promise scholarship program and revamping the district's high schools all are aimed at that goal.

Raising taxes would work against all of those efforts and give homeowners one more reason to think about leaving the city.