Money, Part 2

Summary: Menin reveals 14 points he thinks will help the adults in the community get the ship of education unstuck from it's mooring between a rock and a hard place.

Without pre-empting the work of the Task Force on School Revenue, it is fair to say that they have framed the problem in a way that makes solving the funding problem easier to solve, on a short-term basis as well as long-term. We will see their ideas over coming months, some of those below may be reflected in the final set of deliverables, some may not.

After observing and participating in six budget draftings, two general elections, and an override campaign, I now believe any successful strategy to address the immediate needs of the schools, as well as the long term needs, must contain the following elements:


1. Project out School expenses for 3-5 years, so that revenue choices made can be applied towards predicted needs, academically & strategically.

2. Once expenses are projected, each budget submitted should reflect a commitment to student achievement as an over-arching priority.

3. Every budget submitted by the Superintendent for Committee and community consideration must be scoured for possible efficiencies that do not have a negative impact on student achievement.

4. The same strategy should be applied to the budgets of every City Department; the potential for open hearings with community feedback, as is the practice of the Schools, should be considered with other Departments.

5. As is the practice at the School Department, the City should freeze all budgets by October, requiring serious consideration in the payment of every subsequent expense. As a result, transfers within the Department budget could avert potential deficits in Departmental expenses. Significant surpluses could be identified to help other Departments offset deficits or allow for the implementation of new initiatives.

6. The City should attempt to reconcile all contracts with unions so they may be negotiated at the same time, reducing the "you got yours, I want mine" tendency that currently impedes progress. This will make possible the potential for much greater efficiencies and faster progress on areas such as benefits. Obviously, specific unions represent workers with specific contractual needs, but some common needs could be met more efficiently.

7. The City needs a clearinghouse for all potential grant proposals. Currently, each department does its own search, & writes its own grants, a remarkably inefficient system. If there was a clearinghouse responsible for triaging all federal, state and other grants available, and then moved them on to Departments to consider and/or apply for them, we increase access to funds available. Most communities triage grants out of Planning or Development.

8. Any future lobbying with regard to Chapter 70 reform must be highly strategic and surgical; in addition to lobbying for some wholesale changes in reimbursement rates, we must look at specific elements of the reimbursement package to see where simply shifting Newburyport from one category of reimbursement to another would result in additional funds. After five years of lobbying for wholesale Chapter 70 reform, it has finally arrived, and as a result, Newburyport is one of 33% of towns and cities in the Commonwealth could be getting less- significantly less- than the rest of the state. In short, the vaunted reforms have screwed us. Although this will be looked at closely by the Revenue Task Force as a long term goal, Dr. Ralph Orlando believes that it is possible that strategic changes could affect '09 and beyond. And I agree with Ralph.

9. Should the School Committee decide it will need to go to the taxpayers for additional funds over the short-term or long-term, the request should be absolutely specific as to dollar amount, how it will be spent; if it is at all possible to stipulate within the Override or Debt Exclusion that the money will in the future continue to be restricted for the designated funding it should be done.

10. The City and the School Committee should jointly agree on a long term plan to address non-building capital needs (technology, for example), and set aside budget money specifically to address those needs in a timely fashion.


11. The City and the School Committee should identify those items needed by the School (computers and other technology, upgrading HVAC systems for efficiencies, books and curriculum materials) that might become part of a Debt Exclusion.

12. In the event that the need for an override is clear, the City should enact abatement rules based on age and income levels that would exempt those qualifying from paying the additional taxes until their house is sold or the funds can be drawn out of their estate.

13. In the event that an override is needed, the School Committee should present to the community a clear picture of how the override items will be tied to a long-term vision of improving student achievement, restoring lost programs that can be delivered in a more efficient way, and promoting new, innovative, "best practices" initiatives.

14. Working with the City, the School Committee should help to identify potential and specific new sources of revenue that can be directed at the schools without increasing unduly the burden on the residents of Newburyport.


I'm still thinking, folks. There will be more on this to come.