Councilor Ruston

question regrading graphs: where has increase in administration occurred and why?
and does this include federal grants?
Zidelis: as their budget increases as a percentage of the city budget, the proportional share of the department
plus increase in technical services ('though not to schools; we're not getting more services)
Boone: grants do not count towards net school spending
Rushton asks for all spending, whether general fund or other sources
incidentally, we're pulled people off of grants, so if there were a change, you'd see it. There isn't one. No one is hiding administrators in federal grants. And don't take my word for it

OPEB: wants to know what would happen if we had to pull $30 million of the school system
Boone: "would decimate the school system"
Rushton "troubling to me" that there's no OPEB funding on the school or city side
"a real thing"
asks if OPEB could be included in net school spending: asks DESE, have not received a formal response at this time
have heard unofficially that it will not count towards net school spending
Rushton concerned about cuts on the order of Prop 2 1/2
Boone: would have enlarged net school spending gap
city could apply Medicaid reimbursement generated by Worcester Public Schools, goes into city general fund, could be used for OPEB
The city general fund gets $3 million each year for services provided by the Worcester Public Schools. The schools are no longer receiving any money from the city for providing this service.

Rushton: "I'm not asking you to reduce your budget; reallocation"
"with it comes the dollars that are spent as a result of that decision"
"just ignoring the problem and shifting the blame"
Boone: schools followed city's benefits structure on recent contracts

Rushton: "mystified on the premise that...two wrongs make a right"
"to do nothing is a failure"
Commend everything being done by administration

Three areas in which you would see future cuts?
Allen: "In anticipation of your annual question" the answer is on page 14 of the WPS budget
special education, school printing, energy savings


Okay, one editorial comment: there comes a time at which there is no place else to cut. I'd say we passed that several years ago.