WHY DOES SFPS RETURN MONEY TO NM?
NEA-SANTA FE WANTS YOU TO KNOW….
At the School Board meeting on Thursday, April 21, a report on the sale of $30 million in bonds was presented. With many compliments on the restoration of the District’s financial well-being, little discussion was made about the...
$618,000 the District will have to pay back to the state as a penalty for keeping an excessive cash reserve—in effect, breaking state law.
This also was reported by Gabriela Guzman in the Albuquerque Journal on April 22.
Why is the District maintaining a $7.2 million reserve—almost 10% of the total operating budget—instead of the 4.5% the State requires?
Many of us find this an extremely curious situation for a number of reasons:
Last year during collective bargaining, Board representatives at the bargaining table made repeated claims that “there was no money left” to fund two key NEA-SF proposals: a Sick Leave Buy Back plan for employees who retire or leave the district, and a “compressed salary schedule” for employees of the district which would help employees reach their top step on the salary schedule faster. That would mean employees would earn more money for a longer period of time.
How can there be no money when there is $618,000 in operational funds is returned to the state?
Shouldn’t operational money for our district stay in the district, for our schools?
While all employees appreciate and understand the need for fiscal responsibility,the District’s current practice of returning money to the state is unacceptable!
This money was allocated by the Legislature for the operation of our schools and it is a travesty that this amount of money—almost $50 for each student in the district—is returned to the state while the District bemoans the lack of funds for operation.
This money can and should be used to improve the salaries of all employees in the District, especially clerical, support, and ancillary staff. Imagine how our lowest paid employees could benefit from having this money used to correct salary tables!
In addition, the excess balance of the $7.2 million should be spent where it belongs: in our schools, for students and staff of the Santa Fe Public Schools.
An increase in our bond rating does little to upgrade the quality of education in our schools or to improve salaries and employee morale. Can the District earn a Triple-A rating in those categories?
IF YOU THINK YOU AND OUR SCHOOLS ARE BEING SHORTCHANGED….
JOIN NEA-SANTA FE at the next School Board meetings: Tuesday, May 3; 430 pm and the budget study session on Thursday May 5 at 400 pm, at 610 Alta Vista.
IF YOU DON’T LET THE BOARD KNOW HOW YOU FEEL, HOW WILL THEY KNOW THAT YOU EXPECT THEM TO DO THE RIGHT THING?
At the School Board meeting on Thursday, April 21, a report on the sale of $30 million in bonds was presented. With many compliments on the restoration of the District’s financial well-being, little discussion was made about the...
$618,000 the District will have to pay back to the state as a penalty for keeping an excessive cash reserve—in effect, breaking state law.
This also was reported by Gabriela Guzman in the Albuquerque Journal on April 22.
Why is the District maintaining a $7.2 million reserve—almost 10% of the total operating budget—instead of the 4.5% the State requires?
Many of us find this an extremely curious situation for a number of reasons:
Last year during collective bargaining, Board representatives at the bargaining table made repeated claims that “there was no money left” to fund two key NEA-SF proposals: a Sick Leave Buy Back plan for employees who retire or leave the district, and a “compressed salary schedule” for employees of the district which would help employees reach their top step on the salary schedule faster. That would mean employees would earn more money for a longer period of time.
How can there be no money when there is $618,000 in operational funds is returned to the state?
Shouldn’t operational money for our district stay in the district, for our schools?
While all employees appreciate and understand the need for fiscal responsibility,the District’s current practice of returning money to the state is unacceptable!
This money was allocated by the Legislature for the operation of our schools and it is a travesty that this amount of money—almost $50 for each student in the district—is returned to the state while the District bemoans the lack of funds for operation.
This money can and should be used to improve the salaries of all employees in the District, especially clerical, support, and ancillary staff. Imagine how our lowest paid employees could benefit from having this money used to correct salary tables!
In addition, the excess balance of the $7.2 million should be spent where it belongs: in our schools, for students and staff of the Santa Fe Public Schools.
An increase in our bond rating does little to upgrade the quality of education in our schools or to improve salaries and employee morale. Can the District earn a Triple-A rating in those categories?
IF YOU THINK YOU AND OUR SCHOOLS ARE BEING SHORTCHANGED….
JOIN NEA-SANTA FE at the next School Board meetings: Tuesday, May 3; 430 pm and the budget study session on Thursday May 5 at 400 pm, at 610 Alta Vista.
IF YOU DON’T LET THE BOARD KNOW HOW YOU FEEL, HOW WILL THEY KNOW THAT YOU EXPECT THEM TO DO THE RIGHT THING?
posted by Editor | 1:13 PM
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