| Chinook prepares for budget cuts |
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| Local Content - Local News |
| Written by publisher |
| Thursday, 21 January 2010 19:30 |
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By Allison Werbowetsky The Chinook School Division is already anticipating a trip to the chopping block come budget time in March. Last week, the board sent out a letter to Cypress Hills MLA Wayne Elhard to heed warnings that the education system can’t afford any cuts the government may contemplate around the proverbial provincial round table in the next couple of months. “I don’t blame them for being proactive in this respect. I think it’s wise for them to be proactive, but as the government works through the budget process it’s up to them to take what they got for financial resources and portion them on the basis of priority,” Elhard commented. “We’re really in the thick of things, but we’re nowhere near drawing any conclusions,” he said. The letter was put together by the Saskatchewan School Board Association — a non-profit organization committed to maintaining the quality of public education in the province — and was sent to all southwest Saskatchewan MLAs as well as the public at large. The letter’s purpose is to inform everyone just how fragile the education system is – even a small reduction in the budget equates to big numbers. A five per cent reduction, for example, which is the status quo, means hundreds of millions of dollars. “It’s a tempting target,” said vice-chair of the Chinook School Division board, Larry Caswell. “A five per cent reduction is in essence half our busing expense, and you know, we can’t make that up in chalk and pencils.” Instead, it would mean a reduction in the number of teaching positions, additional subjects, buses and buildings. “We don’t have many optional expenses. If we’re going to run a school we are directed, essentially, to provide the highest standard of safety, supervision, education and so on, so we can’t really cut corners very easily,” he continued. The letter was not meant to be confrontational nor was it in protest of something that has already happened. “We’re just basically pointing out that if this happened, this is what it would mean to us,” Caswell said. The board’s main concern stems from a decision passed by the ministry in March, 2009. It was decided that school divisions no longer have the ability to make changes to property taxes in order to obtain appropriate operating funding. Instead, all funding will be determined by the provincial government, either through the tax levels they set or through grants. “It’s equivalent to getting an allowance. Your parents give you enough money each week so you can go see a show on the weekend. If the price of the show goes up but your allowance doesn’t change, well that option is gone,” he said, which, as a result, forces the school division to negotiate a higher allowance, so to speak. Over the last 30 years, that negotiation process was essentially unnecessary, because school divisions — similar to SUMA, SARM and essentially all local government bodies — had the ability to raise that extra amount needed through taxes. Since March, 2009, however, they no longer have the means to do that. What that means is if the school division decides to, or is required to, do something new it will be unable to do so without having to stop something else. “We’re not really comfortable that we’re doing very much that we could stop doing without directly impacting the kids and the community,” Caswell said. However, there is likely no need to assume that schools will close down as a result of a reduction. As to what specifically could be affected, it’s hard to say. Elhard said, “It’s really hard for me to comment on that, specifically as it relates to education. It’s not that I don’t want to say, it’s that I can’t say. I really don’t know how it’s all going to shake out.” “But when financial reality changes, sometimes you have to look at your spending patterns a little more cautiously and I think we’re kind of in that situation right now. Going forward, who knows. If things change significantly, we’re going to be committed to education, there’s no question about it, in terms of capital expenditures,” he added. Fortunately, the letter did inspire Elhard to take a closer look at the education system in the Cypress Hills constituency. What happens from this point on is more or less out of the hands of the school division. “I want to assure the constituents and citizens of the Cypress Hills area that I’m more than prepared to accept an invitation to meet with the school board at a mutually agreed upon time and I’ll listen to their presentation. I think that’s the least I can do, because I’m one of the people that has made a lot of the education issues a priority in our area,” he said. |
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