Peninsula School District Deputy Superintendent Chuck Cuzzetto gave a brief budget update at Thursday evening’s regular meeting of the school board.

Key factors in producing a 2012-13 budget, Cuzzetto said, include results of next Tuesday’s replacement levy vote, student enrollment in the district and the state budget.

Replacement levy
The levy will “have a huge impact on our budget,” Cuzzetto said, describing the impact as “significant” if the replacement levy is not approved.

The school district is asking for a four-year levy to replace the existing one.  If approved by voters, the district would be able to collect that additional 4 percent in state and federal revenues, from 24.9 percent to 28.9 percent.

The local levy currently provides about 22 percent of the district’s overall budget.

 Total levy amounts that would be collected are $19,959,160 in 2013, $21,140,463 in 2014, $22,569,083 in 2015 and $23,321,982 in 2016.

Cuzzetto said he’s been reading lots of levy-related information in letters to the editor of various newspapers and other news outlets.

“There’s a lot of other noise out there,” he said. “We’re just trying to be factual.”

Enrollment
Enrollment is down 50 students this year, Cuzzetto said, adding that next school  year’s enrollment is projected to be down 125 students.

“We try to be conservative with our enrollment estimates,”  he said.

The beginning of  construction on new apartment and homes could mean longer term growth, Cuzzetto said, meaning higher enrollment rates in the future.

State budget
Currently, 69 percent of the district’s budget comes from the state. With state leaders in Olympia grappling with a $1.4 billion difference between revenues and spending plans, what the final budget will look like is anyone’s guess at this point.

Gov. Chris Gregoire’s proposed budget would mean a $1.3 million hit to the district in the form of a 10-month enrollment count (instead of a 9-month count); a 176-day school year (down from 180 days); a health benefit reduction; cuts in levy equalization; and an apportionment delay.

“Levy equalization is a huge issue for schools,” Cuzzetto said, “but it doesn’t affect us.”

Superintendent Terry Bouck had his doubts about Gov. Gregoire’s version of the state budget making it through the state Legislature.

“This is just the governor’s first shot at it,” he said. “I personally don’t think it’s going to happen.”
The Legislature’s 60-day regular session is set to conclude on March 8.


Reporter Brett Davis can be reached at 253-853-9243 or by email at brett.davis@gateline.com. Follow him on Twitter, @gateway_brett.