The mayor plans to submit a total Fiscal 2013 municipal budget to the City Council May 17.
WESTFIELD – The School Committee plans to focus on a need to cut $1 million in school spending when it meets Monday to finalize its budget request for for the fiscal year that begins July 1.
The committee has already trimmed about $1.7 million from its original request of $56.8 million for the new year beginning July 1.
But, Mayor Daniel M. Knapik said Friday the city cannot make up the nearly $2 million the School Department expects to lose in federal funding next year.
Cyntjhia A. SullivanKnapik’s recommended school budget for next year is $54.3 million which includes an anticipated $357,000 increase in state school spending.
“I cannot make up the loss,” Knapik said of the federal jobs and Title I, remedial programs, funding.
School Committee finance chairman Cynthia A. Sullivan said “it is understandable but unfortunate” that additional cuts are needed in spending.
“We will work in the best interest of the students and that will require a collaborative effort,” she said.
Originally, the School Department needed to cut nearly $4.5 million from the proposed budget to meet current funding levels. That was offset last week by a plan to use School Choice and Early Childhood tuition and to pre-pay some out of district special education and other tuition payments of Westfield pupils in the new year. That amounts to about $1.7 million leaving a balance deficit of just over $2.5 million before Knapik released his recommended school figures.
The current school budget totals $52.2 million. State chapter 70 education funding this year amounts to $32.5 million.
School Finance Officer John E. Kane said Friday officials are working to “prioritize spending requirements” and will present a package to the School Committee’s Finance Committee Monday.
Superintendent of Schools Suzanne Scallion has said the department has nearly a $1 million “list of what our students need. But, we are not putting that on the table at this time because of the budget gap.”
The new budget currently does not call for any staff changes, but Scallion acknowledged last week the department “may need some restructuring of staff and programs with the final budget.”
Salary step and longevity increases for the 1,000 school employees will cost the department $388,000 next year. Also, contract settlements for teachers and other school personnel are expected to cost another $840,000.
The Finance Committee will meet Monday at 6:30 p.m. to consider recommendations.
The School Committee is scheduled to finalize its new budget proposal that will be presented to the City Council for consideration May 17.