Schools Lose $500,000

Cut Follows $1.4 Million Local Aid Drop for Medford

– Allison Goldsberry

Despite Governor Deval Patrick’s promise to leave education aid untouched, Medford’s schools will lose $500,000 this year due to a $1.4 million cut to the city’s local aid.

Mayor Michael McGlynn, School Superintendent Roy Belson, and School Committee members were forced to make difficult choices during Monday night’s School Committee meeting.  The School Committee ultimately voted to approve the cuts presented to them by the mayor and superintendent.

The cuts were spread out across the school system, from sports to art to science, but did not include any staff.

“The goal was to protect classroom size, [to] make sure we had the teachers and staff to deliver the services to students,” said Mayor McGlynn.

Superintendent Belson pointed out that eighty percent of the school budget is personnel, which left little room for cutting and meant that no program could be spared.  Belson called the cuts “forced choices.”

“We wouldn’t make these cuts under better circumstances…Every one of these cuts squeezes something.  There’s no way to avoid that,” said Superintendent Belson.

The cuts will take Medford through the end of the fiscal year in June, after which more cuts are expected.  Mayor McGlynn said next year’s cuts will be triple in size.

“This list [of cuts] is mild compared to what’s going on out there around us,” said McGlynn, referring to mass job loss and a faltering economy.

In total, $493,000 was cut from the school’s budget for the remainder of the year.  The single biggest cut was $240,000 in heat and utilities, a result of the dramatic drop in energy prices over the past few months.

Cuts were made in every department and every school, including the cancellization of all open purchase orders for such things as textbooks and supplies.  Other cuts include reductions in cell phones for key personnel ($2,000), English translations ($9,000), late buses ($10,000), legal services ($30,000), health services ($5,000), athletics ($10,000), and custodial services ($10,000).

School Committee Vice-Chair Ann Marie Cugno applauded school PTO’s for their fund-raising efforts, which she said have become even more important now.  She said fund-raising can help pay for supplies and other unfortunate cuts that have been made for the rest of the year.