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Parkrose School District roils over Ballot Measure 13 defeat

Measure 13 defeat could spell $1.4 million in cuts to the Parkrose School District budget for next year

SEAN P. NELSON
THE MID-COUNTY MEMO

Parkrose School Board adopts $24 million budget at June 24 Board Meeting

Adopted amount represents 3 percent cut in previously projected budget for 2002-2003

The Parkrose School District unanimously adopted a $24 million budget for the fiscal year July 1, 2002-June 31, 2003 at its Board meeting held June 24.

The amount reflects a 3 percent cut in services originally anticipated if Ballot Measure 13 passed in last November’s elections. It failed.

“We’ve already cut $700,000 to $800,000, or 3 percent of the budget. If the Oregon Legislature doesn’t come through we will cut $1.4 million more, or 7 percent of the previously projected budget,” said Parkrose School Board Chair Rod Martin.

He was referring to the fact that the Oregon Legislature is now deciding the fate of Oregon’s school systems in a Special Session. So far State Legislators haven’t decided anything.

“We might not know anything until the November elections,” Martin said.

All school departments were challenged to cut 3 percent of their expenses and make recommendations to the Board to come up with the current budget, Martin said.

Parkrose elementary and middle schools chose to cut evening custodial positions and media positions, but did not cut classroom teaching positions to make their required 3 percent in cuts.

Parkrose High School cut a Vice-Principal position, counseling positions and evening custodial positions.

Martin said his contacts in the Legislature are telling him the Parkrose School District probably will receive state funding for the anticipated 3 percent in cuts, but Legislators can’t promise him anything.
The failure of Ballot Measure 13 in elections last May will mean an additional seven percent reduction, or $1.4 million in next year’s planned budget for the Parkrose School District, according to Parkrose School Supt. Michael Taylor.

The measure would have transferred an education endowment fund financed through the Oregon State Lottery of $220 million into the state’s general fund used for public education. “The state was going to establish the fund, then raid it for schools,” Taylor said.

Last March the state announced statewide budget cuts due to the recession. The Parkrose School District made plans for a three percent reduction for the projected budget for the next fiscal year from July 1, 2002-June 31, 2003 in anticipation of the passage of Ballot Measure 13. The measure failed and the District will now consider what to do about it at its meeting to adopt the budget on Monday, June 24, said Parkrose School Board Chair Rod Martin.

The initially anticipated three percent cuts would have eliminated seven full-time teachers, two classified employees and two custodians or teacher’s aides. If the Oregon Legislature does nothing to remedy the current shortfall, the Parkrose School District will cut its budget an additional seven percent, or $1.4 million, Martin said.

This will lead to the elimination of 21 full-time teachers, the elimination of support staff such as music, physical education, or library aides, or the elimination of 13 to 15 school days.


“To us, this is unacceptable,” Martin said.

The Oregon Legislature is now in Special Session with education a big topic of discussion. Legislators may refer the matter of school funding to a Special Election in September or the regular election in November.

Meanwhile, the Parkrose School District must adopt a budget. “That’s all we can do if the Legislature doesn’t do anything. We have to have a budget in place to be legal,” Martin said. Taylor said the District would be reluctant to make cuts until they know the long term situation.

“If we eliminate programs such as elementary school music, counseling or athletics, you can’t put those back in the middle of the year,” Taylor said. Martin agreed. “The thing that we’re looking at is that we don’t want to cut those positions. They could come back, but obviously they would look for a job elsewhere.” The lesser of the three evils seems to be cutting days of the school year rather than cutting teaching or support positions.

“The only thing you can do is cancel days of school to raise more money,” Martin said. According to Martin it now costs the Parkrose School District $83,000 a day to operate. $1.4 million in cuts would lead to a loss of 13 to 15 school days. The adopted budget in the wake of the failure of Ballot Measure 13 will be decided at the Parkrose School District meeting on June 24.

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