New Hope-Solebury: We're In This Together

From the BCCT.

District strives to cut more
By: FREDA R. SAVANA
Bucks County Courier Times

Like everyone else, the New Hope-Solebury School District is feeling the squeeze from the rough economy.

Wrestling to bring down costs, without damaging the small district's strong reputation, New Hope Superintendent Raymond Boccuti said Wednesday his staff has found another $287,000 to slash from next year's budget.

In an impassioned and somewhat frustrated tone, Boccuti detailed cuts ranging from $144,000 from a teacher's retirement and a resignation, to $1,000 in professional books. Part-time custodians, consultants and new computers are being axed. Updated textbooks are being pushed off for another year.

"We've looked and looked at this budget. We're doing a lot of dramatic things while preserving the integrity of the school district," Boccuti told the school board.

If the new reductions make their way out of the budget, taxpayers are still facing a 4.98 percent tax hike, or a $217 increase for the owner of a home assessed at the district average. That's down from the $314 it projected earlier this year for a $33.3 million spending plan.

"To get it to zero," said the superintendent, "you'll have to gut the fund balance and cut staff and programs."

Among the proposed cuts is the "Artist in Residence" program, which brings art into schools, for a savings of $6,500. Cutting the district's school resource officer, a New Hope police officer who visits the campus periodically, would save another $45,000, according to Boccuti.
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The superintendent pointed out the officer has rarely been at the school in recent months, as he's been needed by the borough's police department, which is also struggling with budget cuts.

"I don't want us to be penny wise and pound foolish," said school director Laurence Fieber, expressing concern about the cuts. He suggested maybe the home and school association and the nonprofit New Hope Education Fund, which supports various school-related projects, could pick up some of the slack.

Board President Rebecca Malamis said parents offered to help when the district stopped running late buses to cut costs and would probably do it again.

"This is a time for our community to come together," she said.

Boccuti and the board agreed to discuss the program cuts with the local organizations and parents.

Parents, volunteers and community groups will be asked to help with some school programs.

April 16, 2009 02:20 AM