The more things change the more they stay the same

“The more things change the more they stay the same” is an expression applicable to the 2007-2008 budget deliberations. After years of requesting a new local school tax structure from Harrisburg, and finally having them pass House Bill 1, would also require a new approach by the board in creating their budgets. Unfortunately, the Oley School Board did not get the memo.
At the December 18, 2007, the district presented the board with a “Proposed Preliminary Budget Summary”.
Summary is an appropriate term because the discussion was not a line item analysis required under state form 2028 but rather expense totals. This sketchy information does not provide the public enough of a description to determine educational versus frivolous non-educational expenditures.
The administration and the board could not even answer the question regarding expenses which are contractual and which expenses are discretionary in nature. Discretionary decisions are those made by the board and would include Wish List items.
Also not reviewed at the meeting where the off-budget money sitting in funds. They include the General Fund Balance, the Capital Reserve Fund, and the Capital Project Funds. The monies in these funds are important because they are available for property tax relief in the form of lower millage increases.
Last year, the district had over $6,000,000 languishing in these accounts, yet they raised taxes for the sixth consecutive year.
This year they claim they have no idea what these balances will be even though they prepared a 2007-2008 operating budget. Preparing a budget without knowing about money in reserve contradicts responsible spending plans.
Funds balances seem to be the repository for tax dollars earmarked for projects that get people re-elected to school boards. Harrisburg uses Walk Around Money to buy votes, school boards have these off-budget funds for the same purpose.
Paying millions in school taxes for education is one thing, paying millions in taxes for politicians to be elected is another.
As usual, probing questions about the budget and fund balances meet with either annoyed responses from the board or no responses at all, dé•jà vu.
Based on the 2007-2008 Proposed Preliminary Budget Summary presented by the business manager, the district can increase revenue by $1,091,053 dollars or approximately 1.678 mills. These numbers represent the inflation index and the projected exceptions to the inflation index. Anything above this figure would require a referendum approval by the taxpayers.