Suburbs left with School deficits - County still has $24 million budget gap
Well - Surprise, surprise.
Actually, not really - have a look at a D&C article today.
School districts across Monroe County are looking at their budgets and deciding how to deal with a sudden revenue loss. A plan advanced by County Executive Maggie Brooks and supported by a majority in the County Legislature calls for 50 percent of the sales tax revenue that schools have received to go to support the county’s Medicaid burden.
The change, approved in September, affects school districts on Jan. 1, the middle of their budget year.
Schuhmacher’s county taxes could decrease slightly — but that’s not a comfort to her when faced with the situation created in the Penfield schools, which her two children attend.
“You know what it is? It’s robbing Peter to pay Paul,” she said. “I have respect for Maggie Brooks, but to sit there and say she’s not raising taxes … I hope people are smarter than that.”
Yep, I hope people are smarter than that as well. The county? Well the fair and balanced D&C reporting (not a shot here) - gets a comment from the County. I guess the only one available was the County lawyer. So, no elected government official was available? The lawyer is not the communications department.  Maggie, or PR expert John Durso not available? (that is a shot - not at the D&C)
“The F.A.I.R. plan as a whole solves the county’s budget crisis,” said County Attorney Daniel DeLaus Jr. “Monroe County solved its own problem without having to resort to going to Albany to beg for money.”
Brooks wants a more efficient government, which is why she instituted the plan, DeLaus said. “Why wouldn’t school districts want the same thing?” he said.
So , mid year budget cuts and, per Mr DeLaus, - the county solved its OWN budget problem. There you have it folks - the county solved its OWN problem by passing it on to school districts. Hence the unfairness of Maggie/Minarik’s unFAIR plan.
Here are some comments from some (not all) affected districts.
The district is operating under a contingency budget because voters rejected a more generous spending plan. “Our budget is already pretty bare-bones,” Boily said.
Greece has eliminated bus monitors, administration office staff and music teachers.
Some districts have sent letters home, notifying residents about the impact of the plan and urging them to sign a petition against the plan.
The budget gap at Brighton central schools is expected to be about $591,000 from January to June. The gap for the next school year, projected at $1.2 million, covers the cost of 12 administrative positions, sports programs for one year or 24 teaching positions.
The Pittsford Central School District is facing a nearly $1 million budget gap from January to June and a $1.9 million budget gap during the next school year.
Solving the Budget crisis? Wasn’t this plan supposed to solve the budget crisis? Well, in the same D&C article. We still have a 24 million dollar deficit.
We should hold her in contempt of court. She lied. Out and outright. And she stole. She’s a crook and a liar. Let’s recall the election like they did in California.
This should ASSURE the victory in court of the school district litigation against her and her flying monkies.
Wow. If we recalled the county exec election, does that mean that other guy would be the county exec?
OK, where are our NYS election experts on this one - is there a recall procedure here? Has it ever been used? Could it?
Um, no.
I found the chart detailing the $ impact, starting in 6 weeks, on individual districts, to be extremely interesting; don’t recall seeing those figures before. Should have been front page, a couple of days before the election, not now.
Most notable: one of the biggest losers, Pittsford, with nearly a $1 million hit THIS YEAR.
If a mere 110 votes more had changed columns, or 220 more democrats gotten off their asses and showed up at the polls, or 220 republicans stayed home and sat on theirs, or some combination of the three, Democrats would control the County Leg now.
Instead, we got our panties all in a bunch about illegal immigrants. Hat tip to Minarik, who, scumbag that he is, was also right. It worked.
Too bad about those chickens coming home to roost.
I don’t know that its accurate to say this worked across the board. Although Ted Nixon lost, other Dem candidates won in areas previously controlled by Republicans. I know Republicans that were disgusted by Minarik’s piece and either decided not to show up at the polls or voted Democratic.
hsrstud, I understand that some voters or potential voters responded the way you say, and that the strategy was not without cost for Rep’s. Minarik was right, though, in that the issue they ginned up changed the subject effectively, away from the FAIR plan, on which they were headed for a truly huge loss. I think the change of subject had a benefit to Republicans way greater than the cost.
I’ve got just one word to say…but I’ll say it over and over and over again. Maggie/Minarik/Republican county legislators are LIARS>>>LIARS>>>YES, I SAID LIARS!!!!
Why? It’s quite simple. Maggie’s TV ads proclaim that the budget was solved locally. In today’s D&C, County Attorney Daniel DeLaus Jr. said, “Monroe County solved its own problem without having to resort to going to Albany to beg for money.â€ÂÂ
Maggie’s own TV ads state quite clearly that her plan was done BECAUSE of record increased in state aid to schools. So, while Maggie and company didn’t have to go begging to Albany for money, they got money from Albany. Relying on money from Albany means Maggie DID NOT solve the budget problem locally.
LIAR, LIAR, LIAR…need I say more?
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