Butting Heads on the Board Budget

Here are a selection of quotes from today's Sun article regarding the recently passed Board of Education budget:

"The 17 percent school board budget [increase] is not acceptable ... I will reduce that budget,"
- County Executive John Leopold

"One of the things that no one seems to want to talk about is that we have been underfunded for years. We need an infusion of cash. That's my position,"
- Superintendent Kevin Maxwell

"What you're basically saying is ... . 'We've looked at everything and everything is appropriate,' and I find that hard to believe,"
- Board of Education Member Michael Leahy

"It raises false hopes," he said. "To forward a budget like this in its entirety seeking all this money for new positions ... it makes people think they're going to get all this money. At the end of the day, it's unrealistic. We know it's going to get cut, and hopes will be dashed when these positions don't materialize."
- Board of Education Member Victor Bernson

The budget process is not going to be a pretty one. Particularly when you consider all of the other issues related to taxes that have been popping up recently.

As it were, Maxwell does have a list of priorities, from top to bottom. The things at the top will likely survive the budget cuts. The things at the bottom will be first to go. What's at the top: guidance counselors, pupil personnel workers, and security officers. What's at the bottom? Maintenance, technology, and funding for charter schools.

Read into his priorities list what you will...