WPS FY14 budget: posting as we go

The Mayor makes a motion to approve...
Boone: School Committee entering deliberations in the budget
"nearly four hours worth of conversation with the City Council" over the past two weeks
great strides in understanding of the funding formula
"gleaned major priorities across multiple groups...everything we would like to see in this budget is not there...real revenue issue..facing declining grant dollars at the state and federal level...sequestration"
"weren't able to add everything to the budget...34 additional employees all at the school based level"
1% of budget on central administration
have adjusted bottom line effectively
"have helped this city significantly during these difficult budget times"
"look forward to the day when we no longer are debating getting to net school spending"

Monfredo: research continues to show that a striving city needs a strong educational system
since 2002, closed eight schools, laid off over 800 employees, cut preschool to half a day
bottom 2% of cities and towns in getting to our educational needs
average across the state is 14% above the foundation
Leicester is 5% above foundation (of those nearby)
when will we give more education?
City Council is considering a budget that is illegal
grant processing fee, Medicaid, McKinney-Vento
added together "City is using our revenue to increase their bottom line:

Colorio: resources on the front line
"need to seriously consider streamlining our administration"
moving money back to tutors that administration is proposing to cut
"eliminating programs that are only doing mediocre"
"seriously consider the transfer of funds back to the front lines"

Petty: Council has brought down the gap to half of what it was
review how the city uses the fees on its budget
2008: cut local aid on city

O'Connell: "detailed budget...truly is a starting point for us..."
allocation rests with the School Committee
bringing dollars out of non-instructional areas
"very concerned when we lose instructional positions such as tutors"
find dollars in the non-instructional areas and bring them back into the classroom