Councilor O'Brien

"there's good news: we've made real progress"
"work collaborative with the schools"
"for cities to grow and prosper: safety, services, and schools"
runs through investments in public safety, in public services
progress in schools: reduce the deficit in net school spending number
"I'm hoping to hear...capital budget... infrastructure in our schools"
challenges in our operational budget
"not quite there yet in meeting our minimal obligation in net school spending"
surrounding communities spending 14% more on average; losing families
"make a case that we need to make a little bit more investment"
"Hope we can find opportunities to get to" that minimum
make necessary investment to stay competitive

Questions: administrative spending compared to internal administrative spending: comparison across the Gateway cities: is there some understanding of why there is such a big differential?
Zidelis: can speak to which cityside services go into the calculation?
Zidelis says they can research the difference and come back with a report

O'Brien asks about the percentage of the school budget as compared with Gateway cities
Boone: costs directly incurred by the school district, then city costs charged to the schools
if you look at WPS, we have maintained that line over last several years.Dropping an administration this year
administration is 1.5% of total WPS budget

O'Brien: offset in increase within increase charter school tuition
loss of state and local grants, as well
Boone: $1.68 million we are being underfunded in charter reimbursement
Allen: chapter 70 funds are allocated to charter schools as well; 9% of allocation in education goes to charter schools
O'Brien: increase in chapter 70, plus state and federal grant drops: report?
O'Brien: ASKS TO HOLD BUDGET