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Home My WebLink AboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1996-04-24, Page 7Ifurrin__Ctini oord Hducttion oard hoidLs taxe Ipy Amy Neiltinds The, Hown County 110aid of Education has passed its budget for 1996 resulting in au overall tax, increase of four per cent. "We are very pleased,' said Director of Education Paul Calf011. "It's lower than we thought we would be able to bring it down to." after eight -and -a -half months (4 looking at ways Citi- eXpeuditaws, the board passed the 1996. budget which is $2 million lower than the 1.995 bud- get. At a special budget meeting held on April 16 at the Education Centre in Clinton, the H( -BE estab- lished spending levels for the year at $60.8 million. In looking a reductions, Carroll said that discus- , suns shifted away from thelraditionar,20 per cent • side to the 80 per cent side or the staffing side. He added that this is where the real payoff came for the students, employees, trustees. and the taxpayers. In both the elementary and secondary school panels, measures have been taken tu4anti atultilear downsizing trend in staffing through normal attrition, retirements and a small retirement incentive program. No layoffs are anticipated, 'Carroll stated hi a press 'release. These stafichanges vili result M long-term, trittlti utillion dollar SaVitigg 'Which Will be helpful to the • beard and the local taxpayers, and will avoid pt:ogram decimation at.' the beard moves through the next two Years of PrOvinoiallY-maildated downsizing. • Administration -at. the Education Cadre bas been .downsized by one superintendent due to the 'untimely deathof Superintendent • Ralph, Ware.ham. • Administration has been downsized further through, • staif transfers as t)art of the crpatiou of a technology to - growing out of Schoot-basedstaffing changes. 'Reductions in transportation costs will comae from deferred capital purchases for 1996 with further sav- tugs front shared bus routes with the other local boards. - • Additional reductions have come from savings in supplies and service COAs, utilities, proirtotiong and some equipment budgets. "But these figures pale in comparison to benefits gained through staff, cost reductions," said Carroll in his director's information report. , The board has agreed though to continue -with ren - SUNDAYBRUNCH • 001110 0111 us 10AM - 2 PPA , .o • AILY.SPECIALS Jilaufztir tatiraitt LUCKNOW Your Hosts. The Greig s Licenced under L LBO.528-3932 Apr.26 & 27 at 9 p.•m,- Apr. 28 at 8 p.m. April 29 to May 2 at 8 p.m, - "SIMPLY ONE OF THE YEAR'S FINEST SUSAN SEAN SARADON PENN A FILM BY TIM ROBBINS DEAD MAN AA WALKING ALL SEATS 54.25 MOt' TO THURS. o 4. Litelotow Sentinel, 'Wednesday, Apt il 21t, 19i/ti ra.0 le increase vations at Geklerich 1)istrict Collegiate,i k.and morale the science labs ,at FF.,. Madill Sceondaty School Wiligliatit. Cari."01i also stated that improv,:e- meths continue at several elementary schools such as changing oil furnac-es to gas furriaces. "We're spending the, dollars in 1996 to save dollars in 1997 a beyond," be said. • uch, much work remains to meet the challenge o w lower "levels of funding and spending," said Carroll's report, 413 be anticipates that spending levels will drop even further in 1997 to possibir$58 and $56 million for 1998. "It is pot inconceivable that spending levels will drop as kvw as $55 million by 1999." "Given the horrendous starting points imposed by transfer. payment reductions and by provincially - imposed incretise W property tax rates ii .:-t requisi- tion jug over four per cent is a rer positive achievement," Carr.oll added, 'But the "bizarre problem", he s,,,,;(1, Rs that though the county -wide impact is four per cent, (hie to • Market,Value Reassessment, the education tax hill tO the countys municipalities differs -quite substantially. Carroll Stated that while the Village a liensall will • see a reduction of 10.1t per cent, the Village -i4 Zurich will see a 25. per cent increase the education tax bill. Thq.„ Town or ointon will see a 2.6 per cent increaSe,' Seafoair will have a 7.6 per cent increase, • Goderich will have a 11 per cent (ilecrease and Exeter will have a 32 per cent decrease. • "Not.only,is the education funding system, broken, but the niunicipal system is broken 'lob," stated- • Carroll. ."It's no 'different than the dilernma,Wel:rave; ifspending'decreases then taXes should decrease. This is one more sign that the system is out of whack." • :CloSing the meeting last Tuesday evening, the • board made another call for education finance reform. Trustees asked that all.low-assessment public and separate school boards in Ontario be'contacted to con- tinue to Pit pressure on Education Minister JOhn Snobelen for 'speedy and urgent changes to the provincial education funding system, a release stat- ed. "We' re asking thetil to write One more letter,", said Carroll, who said he didn't, think the system could be changed in time for 1997 but possibly by 1998: BRUCE PROVINCIAL PC. ASSOCIATION The Bruce Provincial Re. frssociation will hold its ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING on Thursday, May 2, 1996 at 800 pm at the Paisley Town Hall. The suPport and interest of a residents• of the Bruce riding, ITIOSi WeiCOFtle . CYSTIC 'FIBROSIS Fund raising aturday April 27; 1 0 am, sw,•2:00 pa chtel Parking deviations m y�ur lunch 'go to Cystic Fibrosis. Sponsored by the Lucknow District kinsmen and Kinettesi and Lucknciw Village Market APRIL 27 SON o APRIL 28 noon ADMIsSioN: ADULTS $3 STUDENTS/SENIOR $2 C11ILDREN 12 & UNDER FREE a