WPCNR SCHOOL DAYS. By John F. Bailey. March 1, 2005: The School District is getting mixed signals from City Hall.
Late Monday afternoon the School District informed WPCNR that they are not sure whether the city was going to give the School District hard numbers "in writing" on future PILOTS, assessments, at the Wednesday Annual Budget Committee meeting, now at a critical phase as to whether to bless or not to bless the $157.5 Million proposed City School Budget.
The School District also announced that contrary to what it first was told by City Hall, Birnam Wood will come to Dunsinane after all. City Assessor Eyde McCarthy will address the School Board tentatively set for March 21, long after the school budget has been decided upon.
The School District reports to WPCNR the City Assessor, Eyde McCarthy, the city official they were expecting to hear Monday night address them at length and in detail on the trend in PILOTS over the next few years may address them after all, but not until March 21. However, Ms. McCarthy's talk will take place two weeks after the Annual Budget Committee has completed its annual blessing of the City School Budget.
The postponent inadvertently or intentionally, allows city officials and Ms. McCarthy to avoid questioning by veteran observers of the city school budget, and deliver the numbers story only to the Board of Education, and not on community television.
Michele Schoenfeld, Clerk to the City School Board explains in a statement:
"The district expects that City Assessor Edye McCarthy’s meeting with the Board of Education will now take place at the Board meeting scheduled for March 21st . Also, we do not know at this time that information “will be delivered to the district in writing” in time for Wednesday evening’s meeting. Mr. Schruers (Terrance, Assistant Superintendent for Business for the School District) is in touch with the city about this."
The 2004-2005 budget storylone adhered to by the city and the city school district, is that the city and the School District have been working very well together this year and are on the same page on financial issues facing both organizations.
However, the apparent sudden unavailability of the PILOT numbers and assessment situations, critical to district planning on bond issues for certiorari planning, school tax levy adjustment, considering such information has long been touted as being fortcoming Monday night, is an old familiar story.
The Annual Budget Committee has been told every year when they have asked for how the city redevelopment is helping the city that "we are waiting numbers from the city." This year it was supposed to be different.
It is not. It is budget crunch time, and the ABC Committee, once again, as in every one of the last five years WPCNR has covered the school budget does not have its premier question on how redevelopment is affecting the city school budget answered.
