8/19/13 - The state has rejected the latest deficit elimination plan submitted by the Pinckney Community School District. The district ended the last school year with a $2.4 million deficit, and it must now submit plans to the state every time it makes changes to its budget to ensure that it is doing everything it can to get out of debt. Originally the district projected an $800,000 deficit for this year, down two-thirds from last year. However, Superintendent Rick Todd says the numbers in that plan had to be revised when it became clear that declining enrollment and a lack of help from the state would leave the district with a higher deficit than expected. The state has rejected the most recent deficit elimination plan, which includes a projected $2.8 million deficit, and is expecting a new one with a smaller deficit to be submitted by August 23rd. Todd tells WHMI it will be difficult to cut $2 million from the budget with expenditure cuts alone, but there are other options. The district is now working to sell the Pinckney Elementary and Hamburg Elementary buildings, which together could bring in about $1.6 million. In addition, an open parcel of land on the Farley Hill Elementary campus is up for sale and would bring in an estimated $2.2 million. Todd says it is possible for the district to submit a deficit elimination plan which includes the theoretical sale of those properties during the year, thereby reducing the budget deficit for the year. (TD)
↧