http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20130215/NEWS02/702159896
The newly appointed superintendent of schools told the public that school officials are honest when it comes to fiscal matters. Now Zach McLaughlin and the Springfield School District will be put to the test after officials promised not to spend a hefty refund from the state this fiscal year.
Steven Hier, director of financial services, told the School Board on Tuesday that the district will get $85,000 back from the state as a result of a change in health care premiums. While the news is good, he added that it could not be used to reduce the proposed $28.4 million school budget.
“The budget can’t be adjusted. It’s already fixed,” he said.
According to Hier, the district may use that money after Town Meeting Day but McLaughlin said it should remain on the books until the next fiscal year.
“There will be skeptics out there who will look at this and think, they’ll spend it on what that want. This is an opportunity to show the community that they can trust us in these matters,” McLaughlin said. “We want to show that integrity in the process.”
After the School Board meeting, Hier said he agreed with McLaughlin’s decision.
He also said, “We thought it was going to be a 14 percent increase (for health care) and it would be disingenuous of us to turn it into an extra teaching position or computers. That’s not what this was meant for.”
According to Hier, the Vermont Education Health Initiative requested the school district to budget a 14 percent increase rate in health care costs in their proposed school budgets for 2014. But things changed on Feb. 4 when he was informed that new rates set by the Green Mountain Care Board would go into effect instead.
Green Mountain Care is the state health care plan passed by the Legislature in 2011. The Green Mountain Care Board is a quasi-governing body that implements the health care plan.
According to Hier, there was a sense that the current health insurance pool that the school district is part of will eventually go out of business once Green Mountain Health Care is implemented by the state.
“When we receive the money, we will put it aside and not use it,” Hier said. “Next year, it’ll be part of our ending surplus and it could be tax relief or it could go toward other programs.”
New superintendent promises transparency in fiscal matters
By Christian Avard
Staff Writer | February 15,2013
Rutland Herald
SPRINGFIELD —
Never mind other programs, Mr. Hier. The taxpayers in this town need tax relief, and we need it now.
ReplyDeleteThen I assume you will be voting now on the town budget?
Delete"honest"
ReplyDeletewhat the F*ck...... where am I ?
we have to worry about honesty ??
did that just get printed in the paper ?
what a good relationship the town has with the Rutland Herald.
Obama promised transparency as well. He is as clear as mud
ReplyDeleteI hate repbublicans!
DeleteI hate you liberals as well!
DeleteMerica.
DeleteHonestly, liberals are the demise of America or ........merica!
DeleteHey man, I hate to say it, but that makes absolutely no sense.
DeleteYou could say that liberals are the cause of the demise of America.
Redneck republicans = 'Merica
Here we go again with the symbolic slight of hand employed by the merry band of INEPTOCRATS running Springfield's school system. They proclaim their "honesty" in handling $85,000, which amounts to a mere three tenths of one percent of a bloated budget. Such a proclamation will, they hope, placate the more vigilant among Springfield's taxpayers and lead them to want to believe that the remainder of the $28+ MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET will be handled with equal fiduciary care.
ReplyDeleteDon't you believe it. It's the INEPTOCRATS way to mislead with small symbolic gestures while they continue to pour good money after bad down INEPTOCRATIC ratholes of their own making. It's the penny wise, pound foolishness of government run amok at all levels. We care about this 3/10th of one percent, which should mean that we care about the other 99.7% of the budget with equal care. DON'T BELIEVE IT. It isn't true. They will continue to prevaricate and mislead the public in order to make their way even deeper into taxpayer pockets, and that is GUARANTEED!
The only good government budget is a cut government budget!
ReplyDelete"other programs" like say the $287,000 (or so) to add a couple parking spots at Union Street School. That was money 'left over' from the bond vote to rehab the schools - hey - let's spend it!!! How about giving the tax payers a break and cut the budget by an equal amount!!!! Waste waste waste spend spend spend.
ReplyDeleteUnion Street's parking situation is horrendous, however, do not lose sight that this money spent on this area will take out one of the trio of drug houses at the foot of our school. $287,000 seems a bit high for the project of purchasing the one home, but all three, now maybe on to something. However, one down and two to go is better than none down.
ReplyDelete