Costs go up while revenue goes down

Published 9:22 am Friday, April 8, 2011

Column: Mike Funk, No. 2 Pencil

Recently it has been front page news about a specific teacher being cut. People are justifiably passionate about this issue.

Mike Funk

The worst part of my year as a superintendent is the month of April, when teachers have to be laid off. Unfortunately, because of the state budget situation, that is where we find ourselves.

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Now for some perspective on our situation:

There are a number of quality educators in Albert Lea who will likely lose their positions due to the budget cutting that we are required to do to operate a balanced budget.

We must do so in an environment in which 29 percent of our state aid is taken from us annually in a budget shift gimmick to balance the state budget. The state is now promising to pay us this money back in 2014. We also are looking at years three and four of a freeze in which we receive no funding increases from the state.

Our operational costs continue to increase yearly (as many of you are aware, our utility rates went up 22 percent this year), and gas prices are over $3.50 a gallon.

These issues significantly impact our bottom line. These do not even take into account the annual double-digit health insurance premium increases that the district and its employees have faced the last three years. Can anyone imagine having to run a business when income is flat or going backward on an annual basis, and expenses continue to rise like ours do?

Now we are reorganizing the district. This reorganization impacts all of our students and employees. It allows Albert Lea Area Schools to operate in the most efficient manner while creating more opportunities for our students, particularly in our middle and high school.

We are able to do this without cutting any programs. We also believe the shift of teachers will lead to increased student achievement throughout the district. We are attempting to create welcoming environments with an emphasis on grade-level teams in our middle school, and the introduction of advisories to the incoming eighth and ninth grade within the high school.

Bottom line: As your superintendent, I am charged by the board and taxpayers of this community to run the district in the most effective and most efficient manner possible. I also must insure that we are increasing opportunity and achievement, while providing a safe healthy and welcoming environment.

The changes that are occurring within Albert Lea allow us to do this, without having to go back to the taxpayers and ask for a tax increase at the local level.

Mike Funk is the superintendent of Albert Lea Area Schools.