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BENSALEM, Pa. - The Bensalem School District is facing a $16 million budget deficit, and the school board said Monday, April 13, that layoffs and higher taxes are likely unless new revenue is found soon.
School board weighs options to address budget shortfall
What we know:
School board members said they are looking at alternative revenue sources but warned that layoffs and tax increases are likely if the deficit is not covered.
"Some people, we’ve spoken to - others will be spoken to this week, unfortunately, and we need to do this as respectfully as we can. We are doing this with a very heavy heart. We’re very upset," said Stephanie Ferrandez, vice president of the school board.
Board members said they are also considering consolidating transportation, installing solar panels to save on utilities, and pursuing delinquent taxpayers in Bensalem.
"We are trying to do anything and everything that we can think of to generate revenue so that we don’t impact staff or children," said Ferrandez.
The school board said they have already announced some positions that will be affected. "Anything that is not staff, we are desperately trying to do. We already had to announce some positions that will be affected," said Ferrandez.
Board members blame previous officials and state funding formulas
The backstory:
Current board members said previous school officials spent more than the district had, and state funding formulas for special education and charter schools have added to the financial strain.
"Districts across Bucks and PA, you’re facing the same issues. Schools like ours are having to make impossible decisions about staffing services and programs," said Kate Pascucci, school board member.
Parents expressed concern about the impact of teacher layoffs, especially for special education.
"A lot of the parents were upset the more teacher layoffs they have it’s not gonna give us much as much help as we need in the schools-There is a lot of special Ed and we need all the teachers we have," said Kelly Hall, a parent.
The board said they are doing everything possible to find new revenue sources and minimize the impact on staff and students.
What’s next for the Bensalem School District
What's next:
The board has scheduled another budget session later this month, where they expect to have a more definitive number of projected job cuts and closer estimates on tax hikes.
The board said they are continuing to look for ways to avoid layoffs and higher taxes, but tough decisions may be necessary if the deficit is not addressed.
What we don't know:
The school board has not yet said exactly how many jobs will be cut or how much taxes could go up.
More details are expected at the next budget session later this month.
The Source: Information from the Bensalem School Board meeting and FOX 29’s Joann Pileggi.