BY BERNIE MIXON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
GLENDALE - The Princeton City School district expects to make as much as $1 million in cuts from the 1998-99 budget after voters defeated a 6.5 mill general operating levy earlier this month.
Since no new revenue will be collected in 1999, the district will make reductions in transportation, administration and instruction to offset a projected $5 million deficit.
A list of reductions was presented last week to the Board of Education by Superintendent Dennis Peterson.
"This is $1 million we won't spend this year that we planned to spend," Mr. Peterson said. "It is important we stretch the dollars we have into future years. That will allow us to hold down the deep cuts that have to be made down the road."
Board member Tawana Keels Simons called the cuts premature.
"I think it's inappropriate for cuts to be made without the approval of the board of education," said Mrs. Keels Simons. "We didn't sit down and say 'What do we do now?' and then put a priority on the cuts."
The Princeton City School District Business Advisory Council task force presented a financial assessment to the board this year urging passage of the levy to avoid a $5 million deficit.
"The adjustment in the budget needs to be $5 million for the 1999-2000 year because we are spending that much more than we are receiving and we are now forced to go one more year without the new revenue we expected the voters to approve," Mr. Peterson said.
The district's general operating levy was expected to raise about $10 million annually to meet expenses. Had it passed, the levy would have cost the owner of a $100,000 home $190.19 in new taxes. Some of the spending reductions include eliminating overtime, limiting maintenance work to emergency repairs and eliminating professional leave.
Temperature settings on all thermostats will be at 70 degrees during the day and lower for non-school times. No auxiliary heating devices will be allowed.
While transportation services will be maintained for home-to-school and return trips, beginning Jan. 4 there will be no additional trips after school. Routes for junior high and high school students will be adjusted by decreasing the length of routes and stops.
Also eliminated: field trips beginning Dec. 1., summer school for junior and senior high school students and community education programs whenever possible.
Courses at the high school that require transportation and - or fees will be modified to eliminate such transportation and fee costs.
