Budget avoids tax hike
No big school cuts as plan goes to vote
With too many bills and too little revenue, Andover officials hunkered down this month and channeled their inner Yankee to come up with a reworked budget for the upcoming fiscal year, sparing the School Department deep cuts while averting the need to seek a tax increase.
A joint panel of the Board of Selectmen, School Committee, and Finance Committee last Wednesday approved the $127.2 million compromise budget plan, avoiding a budget standoff at Town Meeting this week.
"This compromise allows us to present a balanced budget," said Finance Committee chairwoman Joanne Marden. "There will be no override and no reductions to teaching staff."
Under the town's reworked spending blueprint, the School Department will receive $59.4 million in fiscal 2009, which begins July 1. That total is $1.3 million less than what the School Committee initially approved, and $825,867 more than what the selectmen had recommended.
The revised level of school funding will enable the district to maintain services, but not expand them. Under the reworked budget, the jobs of 40 elementary school teachers and classroom aides will be preserved, and the district's high school athletics program will remain intact, without any increase to student fees, said Marden.
Local leaders were able to close the projected budget deficit by updating the cost estimates for various items based on new information from the School Department and town officials, and by curbing the town's spending plans in other areas.
Before last week's meeting, the Finance Committee had agreed to scrub $750,000 from Town Manager Reginald "Buzz" S. Stapczynski's $2.53 million capital improvement recommendation. As a result, the town will spend the same amount on capital projects next fiscal year as it is spending this year: $1.78 million.
The new capital budget means that repairs to the Fish Brook culvert will not be completed next year, less money will be earmarked for minor sidewalk repairs, and the Police Department will have to wait for computer upgrades.
"The town will have to go without things that would be nice to have, but are not strictly necessary," said Alexander J. Vispoli, secretary of the Board of Selectmen. "Our taxpayers expect us to make the budget work with the funds we have available."
As part of the reworked budget, the School Committee agreed to cut $409,645 in new spending, funding that had been requested by Superintendent Claudia L. Bach to help the district recover from the deep cuts it sustained during the state fiscal crisis of 2002.
"We are doing all we can to make sure we squeeze value out of each and every dollar," said Arthur Barber, chairman of the School Committee.
In addition to the slashed spending, the town was able to realize a total savings of roughly $1.28 million as a result of new information related to School Department retirements and extended personnel leaves, special education expenses for students who are enrolled in programs out of the district, and town and school insurance policy estimates.
Other adjustments include a transfer of $116,000 from the Phillips Academy Gift Fund, a $50,000 reduction to the town's budget for solid waste disposal, and a $50,000 increase in town revenues, money the selectmen hope to realize by leasing the Old Town Hall.
Town Meeting must authorize the town's plan to lease the property; if the proposal is defeated, the board will have to raise $50,000 through other means, by increasing fees, or cut $50,000 from municipal spending plans.
The reworked budget for fiscal 2009 does not address the town's long-term fiscal challenges, town leaders acknowledged, but it is a step in the right direction, they said.
"We didn't dig ourselves a deeper hole, and that's important," said Vispoli.
The few residents who attended last Wednesday's meeting said they were glad local leaders were able to reach a compromise budget agreement.
"We had been looking at the loss of a large number of elementary teachers and classroom assistants, a situation that was totally unacceptable," said Paula Karl, whose children attend the Shawsheen School and West Elementary. "Under this budget plan, we lose a little bit, but avoid deep cuts and a fight at Town Meeting."
Town Meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Collins Field House at Andover High School, 80 Shawsheen Road.
Although the override proposal was withdrawn from the warrant for Town Meeting, voters will have to address several pressing issues, including the future of Bancroft Elementary School, the fate of the local landfill, the proposal to lease the Old Town Hall, and repairs to the Andover Street bridge.
Brenda J. Buote may be reached at bbuote@globe.com.
