News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
The Sisters School District took another financial hit with the failure of Ballot Measure 13 in the May 21 election.
Without the additional $220 million in statewide funds provided in that measure, Sisters schools face another $432,000 in cuts, according to Superintendent Steve Swisher.
That comes on top of some $420,000 cut this year and in the 2002-03 budget.
The cuts may not go so deep if the state legislature restores some school funding in the special session that is expected to start on June 6.
However, the superintendent acknowledged that there are likely to be some layoffs.
"It is unreasonable to think that we're not going to have to cut some," Swisher said. "Our budget is extremely tight and approximately 85 percent is personnel.
"This might mean a layoff not only of a teacher or teachers, but other categories within the district," Swisher said.
The school board is required to adopt its budget by June 30.
None of the impact of state cuts will be known until after the special session, which may last into July.
Once the financial picture is clear, the school board will get to work with consultation from the budget committee to determine where to cut.
"We'll go through a prioritization process and whatever we need to do, we'll do," Swisher said.
The financial crisis could be much worse. The Sisters School District received some $690,000 this year from local option taxes approved by Sisters voters in November 2000.
Without those funds, the district would be facing more than $1 million in cuts. That would be devastating, according to Swisher.
Class sizes would balloon to more than 30 students and co-curricular programs and electives would probably be completely eliminated.
Local option expires after 2004.
Swisher offered his opinions on ways to stabilize school funding, which is currently dependent on income taxes, which fluctuate with the health of the economy.
He believes income tax "kickers" which are paid out when income tax collections exceed projections should go into a "rainy day fund" for schools.
He also believes there should be a mandatory $1 per $1,000 valuation local property tax. (Sisters' local option is currently 75 cents per $1,000).
This would "basically give some local control back, outside that basic (statewide) school funding," Swisher said.
In addition, Swisher said he supports a sales tax -- if income taxes could be eliminated below a determined bracket.
"I think we need to shift our income tax ... onto some from of consumption tax or sales tax, whatever you want to call it," he said.
Swisher acknowledged that not all of his vision for stabilizing school funding is politically viable. But "surely some is," he said.
In the meantime, the school district awaits the fall of the budget ax in the wake of the special legislative session.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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