Only a handful show up to UCSD budget hearing
By: Chelsea Rarrick
Updated: May 8, 2012
"It's frustrating that there was no one here tonight. I've been to
meetings where it's been packed," said longtime Utica resident, Carol
Scampone after the budget hearing Tuesday.
Scampone isn't a teacher, she doesn't hold a position on the school board, but she is a resident who graduated from Utica City Schools and cares about the district.
"I've always been very passionate about our school district. I really believe in our school district and I have a very deep concern for the children in our school district," said Scampone.
Despite the $10 million gap in the budget, jobs on the chopping block, and negotiations with the Utica Teacher's Association, only a handful showed up to Tuesday night's formal budget hearing to express any final opinions.
This brought some concerns for Carol on how the vote is going to sway next Tuesday.
"They're going to vote no seeing the 217 jobs. It's been disappointing each year when you go to a school board vote and it's disappointing about the figures that come in," said Scampone.
But the taxpayers who didn't come tonight may not know that if the budget is not passed, the district would have to look into different options that could end up being worse.
"We could either put the same budget up for vote, you could revise the budget, put it up for re-vote, or put it up for a contingency budget. If we go to a contingency budget, further cuts will be made and that will further devastate education programing," said UCSD Superintendent, Bruce Karam.
The vote on the budget will be next Tuesday, May 15th.
Scampone isn't a teacher, she doesn't hold a position on the school board, but she is a resident who graduated from Utica City Schools and cares about the district.
"I've always been very passionate about our school district. I really believe in our school district and I have a very deep concern for the children in our school district," said Scampone.
Despite the $10 million gap in the budget, jobs on the chopping block, and negotiations with the Utica Teacher's Association, only a handful showed up to Tuesday night's formal budget hearing to express any final opinions.
This brought some concerns for Carol on how the vote is going to sway next Tuesday.
"They're going to vote no seeing the 217 jobs. It's been disappointing each year when you go to a school board vote and it's disappointing about the figures that come in," said Scampone.
But the taxpayers who didn't come tonight may not know that if the budget is not passed, the district would have to look into different options that could end up being worse.
"We could either put the same budget up for vote, you could revise the budget, put it up for re-vote, or put it up for a contingency budget. If we go to a contingency budget, further cuts will be made and that will further devastate education programing," said UCSD Superintendent, Bruce Karam.
The vote on the budget will be next Tuesday, May 15th.
