Woodland Hills raises taxes, cuts personnel in new budget
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The Woodland Hills School Board Wednesday night adopted a $81 million final budget for the 2012-13 school year that raises taxes a little more than half a mill, or from 25.65 to 26.21 mills, and includes personnel and other cuts.
The 2.2 percent tax increase is the maximum amount the state allows the district to raise millage.
The vote to adopt the budget was 5 to 3, with board members Colleen Filiak, Fred Kuhn, and Robert Tomasic dissenting Regis Driscoll was absent.
The tax increase will generate $821,494 more for the district.
Even so, to balance the budget, $6.5 million was taken from the district's $6.9 million fund balance. There is no capital reserve fund.
"Next year we are so far up the creek without a paddle it is
ridiculous," Mrs. Filiak, the finance chair, said.
The new budget amount is about $1 million less than the 2011-12 budget.
Cuts include eliminating the district's participation in the Boyce Campus Middle College high school program; cutting some contracted security guards and some transportation runs; and eliminating six elementary clerks, two custodians, and two maintenance personnel.
A reorganization of school operations will result in the consolidation of positions such as technology director, one executive secretary, and one elementary assistant principal.
Eleven teachers were furloughed, but could be called back if enrollment requires it.
The last tax increase was one mill for the 2009-2010 school year.
Board President Marilyn Messina said besides contractual obligations, the budget includes about $14 million for charter schools.
She plans to form a committee on Aug. 1 of board members, residents, principals and others to discuss ideas for next year's budget.
"Changes have to be made or we won't have a district," she said.
First Published June 27, 2012 11:14 pm
