Pasco school district must find $16-million to cut

LAND O'LAKES — When it comes to trimming the Pasco County school district operations budget, superintendent Heather Fiorentino finally has a target: $16-million.

That's her staff's best estimate of how much money the School Board will need to reduce spending for next year to keep its budget balanced. The projection fluctuated during the legislative session, and it might change again if state tax revenue keeps on dropping or if the local property tax value doesn't meet the estimated $30-billion on which lawmakers predicated the district's finances.

But it's the working figure as Fiorentino and her team work on recommendations for the School Board.

"We're going to be sitting down on Friday and hashing things out," Fiorentino said Wednesday, adding that she hoped to provide a proposal to the board next week.

District employees have provided a laundry list of ideas for the chopping block, including eliminating all extracurriculars, canceling the district's lawn service contract and changing the high school calendar. While insisting that all ideas remain in the realm of the possible, Fiorentino said those that would negatively affect learning or hurt employees are less likely to happen.

That means she's not seriously considering asking teachers to pay more for their benefits, for instance, and that she doesn't plan to suggest an across-the-board pay cut like the one being discussed in neighboring Pinellas County schools.

Neither does she intend to propose a referendum to increase the local property tax rate, as Pinellas and Sarasota have done and Collier is considering.

"You can't keep hitting the same people," Fiorentino said, noting that the economy is tight for everyone — not just the school district — and local voters already have agreed to a higher sales tax to support school construction.

Keeping the cuts away from classroom instruction and from employees could prove challenging, chief financial officer Olga Swinson said, as 85 percent of the operational budget goes toward people.

During the current year, a 10 percent spending cut in all schools and departments pinched schools in myriad small ways, said David Scanga, executive director for elementary schools. Teachers had to do with fewer supplies and supplemental instructional materials, he said, and some reduced field trips.

At the high schools, principals found they had to turn to booster clubs and parents to foot the bill for athletics travel, assistant superintendent Sandy Ramos said.

Fiorentino said she hoped to have the most severe cutbacks in place before the next school year begins, so everyone knows the limits early on and can plan accordingly. She has scheduled a budget workshop for the School Board for May 20.

Jeffrey S. Solochek can be reached at solochek@sptimes.com or (813) 909-4614. For more education news, visit the Gradebook at blogs.tampabay.com/schools.

by the numbers

Pasco schools superintendent Heather Fiorentino hasn't made her budget-cutting recommendations yet. But here's some of what she's looking at. (Cost estimates are based on 2007-08 spending.)

Employees

$5.88-million Potential savings by holding annual raises based on years of service.

$12.1-million

Potential savings through employees paying $100 a month toward benefits.

$3.67-million Potential savings through eliminating all supplements — such as extra pay for coaches, club sponsors.

$652,712 Potential savings by eliminating initiatives (LFS, READ 180) that require staff development.

Students

$1.53-million Potential savings by having parents pay for athletics.

$518,000 Potential savings by eliminating extracurricular activities (not athletics).

$488, 275 Potential savings by eliminating extended-day programs.

$9.42-million Potential savings by additional high school periods.

District

$200,000 Potential savings by raising building temperatures.

$17,018 Potential savings by eliminating human resources recruiting trips.

$1.2-million Potential savings through canceling contracts with lawn crews.

$650,000 Potential savings using less paper.

Comments on this article

by bud	May 11, 2008 10:38 AM
I suggest that we don't elect anyone Superintendent of Schools that is a clone of USEP. Heather can't cut school board salaries they are set by state statue. Lets go to area superintendents THREE VS. SIX

by Frank	May 9, 2008 11:39 AM
I know how we can fix the budget problem. We just seceede from the country and then we can start printing off our own money, just like the Fed does, then we'll have all the money we'll ever need!

by Teacher	May 9, 2008 11:11 AM
As a veteran teacher in Pasco, I see a lot of money wasted. Resource teachers who do nothing but wander around and drink coffee could be easily eliminated without notice. Guidance could be reduced - more dead weight

by Tony	May 9, 2008 11:06 AM
Oh please, get rid of LFS. That is such a wasteful SCHEME that teachers really dislike. It will continue to ruin morale. And will save precious money anyway.

by Kathleen	May 8, 2008 3:03 PM
I don't think any principal deserves 96k. That's an insane salary. I'd like to hear how it is justified.

by Leo	May 8, 2008 2:48 PM
When other states are ramping up on education, we are cutting down.Do we not care about the future of America?Do we really want China and India to leave us behind in the dust?Pretty soon we will all be watching Bollywood movies and learning Chinese.

by Trishk	May 8, 2008 1:25 PM
You can save 96K simply by not moving Imerson to a District position that hasn't been determined. Get rid of him, come clean.

by Truth BE TOLD	May 8, 2008 1:17 PM
There are so many secretaries or assistants at PCSB. Just cut them down to size. Each department doesn't need 5 of them. They should share the duties amongst each other. Secretaries currently are complacent and won't step up! I couldn&

by Lisa	May 8, 2008 10:56 AM
I agree. Consolidate bus runs. Keep textbooks longer and let's stop paying school board members who don't show up for meetings. I am Republican and I won't be voting for Republican for Super. again. Crist is a disappointment,too.

by Frank	May 8, 2008 10:49 AM
Outsource work via seeking lower local bidding proposals on work that schools may need and thus eliminate all of the huge benefit and other related costs such as equipment and vehicle expenses that are currently associated with maintaining the School

by wazzamattaU	May 8, 2008 10:37 AM
Does anyone remember the 'Penny for Pasco'? This was supposed to fix everything. A cutback from bloated budgets still leave our schools with more money then ever, and the quality of education is worse than ever.

by Judy	May 8, 2008 10:08 AM
Maybe Heather Fiorentino needs to also cut the salaries of the District 51 School Board. As one person does not attend meetings, the excuse health reason?Will if this person cannot do her job, the resign that would save 37,500 a year.

by mari	May 8, 2008 10:07 AM
All the ideas under "students" sound feasible. Too bad that only athletics merits keeping as "extracurricular"...all field trips could be cut; of course they are fun, but not essential. Good luck. Education always suffers in

by John	May 8, 2008 9:12 AM
Why do I see busses dropping off and leaving schools with 5 kids on them? How much could be saved by running busses at full capacity and making kids walk to development entrances?

by JK	May 8, 2008 9:12 AM
Mike is right, district is top heavy! Additionally, they waste millions on textbooks, which need new adoptions each 5 years. There is plenty of life in some of these books, but we throw them away.

by crist = liar	May 8, 2008 8:59 AM
This shouldn't be happening at all in any Florida county! Crist lied when he said he would support education. This is what happens when Republicans are in office..the rich get richer and poor get poorer. A community is only as good as its schoo

by Mike	May 7, 2008 9:00 PM
How much money can be saved by cutting this top-heavy district administration down to size? I am a staunch Republican and I will NOT be voting Republican in the Superintendent Race this November. Fiorentino must GO!