Board follows Finan's advice to watch and wait

Still waiting on state legislators to make up their minds, the Delaware Valley School Board on Thursday decided to hold off on any changes to their 2009-10 budget, despite a possible revenue shortfall from proposed cuts in state education spending. Superintendent Dr. Candis Finan last Thursday supported that move saying, “It’s my suggestion that we keep everything as is for now and work with the real numbers as we get them.” The school board based a zero-tax increase budget on Democrat Gov. Ed Rendell’s proposed budget in January, but Republicans in the state senate, in a bill titled SB850, have proposed cuts and redirection of federal stimulus money. On a recent lobbying trip in support of the Rendell budget, Finan spoke before state Education Sec. Dr. Gerald L. Zahorchak at a gathering in Monroe County. “if SB850 is enacted the Delaware Valley School District will lose $2,017,146,” and lost state money will necessitate either cuts in programs or a 6 percent tax increase, which equates to $206 per household, she said. “The Senate Republican budget is a direct threat to our community’s educational progress,” Finan said. Rendell, facing a $3.2 billion state budget deficit, on Wednesday narrowed the deficit to $1.2 billion. “I am taking a vastly different approach. The Senate Republican plan is full of harsh and debilitating cuts to education... that will cause local property taxes to soar...” “Balancing the budget by forcing local communities to raise property taxes is the cowards’ approach. I was not elected to make politically convenient decisions... “ Rendell said. Last Thursday, Finan warned of coming cuts, “Revenues are down, there are going to be some modifications.” The board’s next scheduled meeting is on July 17, at the Westfall campus.