Take Our Poll: Making Cuts at Easton's Schools
How should the Easton Area School Board handle this year's budget?
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At its committee meeting tonight, the Easton Area School Board will take another look at its 2012-2013 budget.
It puts the district between a rock and a hard place. Easton Area Chief Operating Officer Michael Simonetta has presented the board with three different plans: one with a 2.2 percent tax increase, one with a 1.7 percent tax increase, and one with no tax increase.
If the district chose not to increase taxes, more than 100 district jobs would be cut. But even with the larger tax increase, job and program cuts would still be part of the budget plan.
"We're either going to kill the taxpayer or kill the students," board member Frank Pintabone said last week.
Tonight's meeting -- which will also include a presentation from city officials on the KOZ/LERTA plan -- begins at 6 p.m.
Before that happens, let us know what you think in the comments section. Which path should the district take?
Martin Weyl
5:34 pm on Thursday, April 19, 2012
Take funds from any surplus and prior years savings. Review subjects that are not necessary in todays world and eliminate them first before cutting jobs.
Dawn Blackton
5:34 pm on Thursday, April 19, 2012
Enough already!! You can't keep raising taxes year after year because of out of control expenses and spending. I don't agree with cutting activities and classes either. It's time to reel in teachers' and administrators' benefits (especially the pension plans) and get them in line with what the rest of us are living on. Seniors on SS and Pensions cannot afford this anymore. How many people do you know that get 80% of their salary for a pension? And on top of this the schools are failing to educate our kids. Do something Easton School Board - and I don't mean raise taxes AGAIN.
John Arnts
6:25 pm on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Why not across the board cuts. They all benefit when times are good. Why not share the pain when times are tough.
Kelly
9:54 am on Friday, April 13, 2012
We need a long term solution or this is going to the the case every year....have administrators taken the lead with cuts?