Berne-Knox-Westerlo district residents voted down the 2011-12 school budget during the revote on Tuesday, June 21, by 82 votes. A total of 732 people cast a ballot, with 407 voting "no" and 325 voting "yes." The proposed $20,917,977 budget reflected a 6.49 percent spending increase and a projected 3.51 percent tax levy increase.
As this is the second time residents have voted down the school budget, BKW must adopt a contingent budget.
BKW’s 2011-12 contingent budget is $20,864,904, which represents a 6.23 percent spending increase and a projected 3 percent tax levy increase. The contingent budget is $53,073 less than the proposed budget.
Spending increases for contingent budgets are tied to the Consumer Price Index increase. This year, the contingent cap is 1.92 percent, excluding certain budget categories, such as tax certiorari settlements, debt service and costs associated with enrollment growth. Other rules for contingent budgets are as follows:
• A contingent budget cannot include money for furniture, equipment or
food program subsidies.
• The administrative proportion of a contingent budget cannot be larger
than it was the previous year.
• A contingent budget does not contain salary adjustments for non-union
personnel or allow for non-essential maintenance.
• Under a contingent budget, the district would also need to charge for
public use of school buildings and grounds.
In order to meet contingency standards, the district would have to cut an additional $53,073 from the proposed budget:
• $25,000 from the food services subsidy;
• $21,073 in salary adjustments for non-union personnel; and
• $7,000 in equipment, which would affect the elementary program, middle
school/high school program, library and business office.
This will be the second year in a row that BKW will be operating under a contingent budget.
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