Tech school budget approved

From the BCCT.

(NOTE TO DESK - MIGHT WANT TO DOUBLE CHECK YOU REMOVED ALL THE NOTES BEFORE POSTING THE STORY. PRINTER DEVILS HAVE NOW GONE DIGITAL. THX STS)

Tech school budget wins approval
By: JOAN HELLYER
Bucks County Courier Times

Three sending districts will pay more in 2009-10 and the other three will pay less based on the school's funding formula.

By Joan Hellyer

Bucks County Technical High School operations in 2009-10 will be financed with a $22.4 million budget approved by a majority of governing bodies of the sending school districts.

The technical high school's bylaws call for at least four school boards from the sending districts and at least 28 board members of the governing panels to approve the proposed budget.

The Neshaminy school board on Tuesday night pushed the approval process across the finish line with a 7-2 vote in favor of the budget for the school off Wistar Road in Bristol Township.

The Bristol, Morrisville and Pennsbury boards previously approved the "bare bones" budget with 26 members of those governing bodies voting in favor of it.

Bensalem's school board was scheduled Wednesday night to vote on the tech school budget.

The Bristol Township board, however, rejected the financial plan to protest the 15 percent increase its district will pay in 2009-10. The added costs are needed to cover recent enrollment increases of Bristol Township students at the tech school, BCTHS representatives said.

Bensalem and Bristol also will pay more in the coming year while Morrisville, Neshaminy and Pennsbury will pay less based on the school's funding formula, officials said.

Bensalem will pay $3,135,268, Bristol's charge is $733,313, Bristol Township's share is $6,503,272, Morrisville will be charged $528,077, Neshaminy's cost is $3,921,993 and Pennsbury will pay $3,643,532, said officials.

Overall, the budget is 2.9 percent greater than the 2008-09 budget, said administrators, who are moving forward to enact the financial plan effective July 1.

(NOTE TO DESK - MIGHT WANT TO CHECK WITH MANASEE WHO IS COVERING BENSALEM MEETING TONIGHT TO SEE WHAT THAT BOARD DECIDES - RIGHT NOW I JUST HAVE IT THAT "BENSALEM'S SCHOOL BOARD WAS SCHEDULED WEDNESDAY NIGHT TO VOTE ON THE TECH SCHOOL BUDGET." THX, JH)