The Budget Debate…

Many years ago – while my oldest was still in Jefferson School – the budget was up for vote – and failed (the first of many times over the coming years). One of the line items to go was late buses. I remember at the time thinking – “What’s the big deal?”. Then as my children got older I realized what a big deal it was. I was lucky – I had a job with flexible hours and was home from work by 3 – so I could pick my children up after an activity. But my heart broke for the many children who were not able to participate in an extra-curricular activity because they had no way to get home without the late buses. At a board meeting only recently, Haley Dix, the student council representative on the Board, voiced the concerns the High School students still have over the loss of the late buses – the program would not ever be restored, even though the children themselves were begging for it. Extra curricular activities aren’t just for fun – they are proof to a college a student is well rounded. They are the hammer that breaks down the wall between different social groups – a common interest with another student you wouldn’t normally socialize with. They are a method to help the shy child meet new friends. They are what helps our children grow up to be tolerant adults – to see that you may have things in common with someone you would never expect to. And in one day we as a community stopped the program forever without even realizing that would be the result.

I don’t think many realize the effects of a failed budget. The major line items on the budget are probably not going to change if the budget fails. The teachers will not be penalized with a cut in pay. The maintenance on all of the buildings will not go away. Who are the losers of a failed budget? The children of the district. For every failed budget, programs, like late buses, are cut, and those programs will never make their way back into the budget again – they are gone forever. So many parents turned up for the meeting 2 weeks ago where there was to be a vote on cancelling some courtesy busing. Are those of you that were there ready to pass the budget? Because if not, ALL courtesy busing could end up being cancelled. That means elementary aged children could be walking up to 2 miles, High School students up to 2.5 miles (these are the state guidelines for courtesy busing). The problem is we don’t know what will be cut in order to bring the budget down if it fails. It could be busing. It could be new books that are desperately needed for a class. It could be an entire Honors program. It could be an entire Special Education program. And if that program was cut, given the state caps on budget increases, it would be very unusual to ever see it again.

So – we as a community NEED to pass the budget. Every failed budget tells the students they aren’t at the top of our priority list. It tells new home buyers we aren’t interested in our schools or the programs it provides. As homeowners, as a community, it is our job, and our responsibility, to educate our children.