Impasse could start affecting school budgets
As we near 125 days without a budget, costs are going to start adding up.
As we read in the Sunday, Oct. 26, edition of the Butler Eagle, the continued failure of the state Legislature to pass a budget could mean just one school district in Butler County could miss out on $29 million in funding.
Butler Area School District would miss the $29 million, but every other district in the county would be in a similar position — waiting for millions of dollars each month to pay for services, salaries and other expenses that could still be months and months away.
Butler superintendent Brian White put it succinctly.
“It’s almost laughable, (but) you may also want to cry, that the state budget has not passed,” he said earlier this year.
Things haven’t improved since then.
Just through the end of October, schools countywide have missed out on between $2 million and $8 million in funding from the state. Most districts in the county have strong financial reserves, but even large districts like Butler are facing a real crisis the longer the budget is delayed.
White said he expects the district won’t have enough money coming in to pay its bills sometime in January.
There are real issues that are preventing the budget from being passed, but it’s far past time for both sides to make realistic proposals that balance the state’s obligations with taxpayers’ pocketbooks.
The longer lawmakers wait, the more money they are costing their constituents.
— JK
