It’s
a position no one would envy.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย For the second time in this year’s
budget cycle, Rochester school
district officials are having to cut their budget, and more jobs and programs
are on the line.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Critics, including Mayor Bill
Johnson, State Assemblyman David Gantt, and some business-community leaders,
have repeatedly charged that the district is financially irresponsible. In
response (and frustration), district officials have called for an audit by the
state comptroller’s office. A spokeswoman for Comptroller Alan Hevesi says the
request is still being considered.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย “I don’t know how many times we’ve
got to balance this budget before somebody accepts it,” mused School Board
member Darryl Porter at Thursday’s high-profile board meeting. The board voted
4-2 to give Superintendent Manuel Rivera the authority to cut $13 million more
to make up for expected shortfalls in revenue.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย But even if last-minute negotiations
with State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver release $20 million in spin-up money
(essentially a loan) being blocked by Assemblyman Gantt, everyone agrees this
is a one-time fix.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Increases in the district’s revenue
aren’t keeping pace with skyrocketing expenses;
barring
some major change, the district’s budget imbalance will likely continue.
The board
includes one member who joined as a strong critic and fiscal watchdog: Jim
Bowers, who received the support of Mayor Bill Johnson in his campaign for that
reason.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย “I don’t think I’ve changed as a
critic,” says Bowers. “I’m still a critic.” But while Bowers says he is keen to
scrutinize district finances, he rejects charges of mismanagement.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย “The problem with budgeting is no
matter what you do or what you choose to fund, someone can criticize the
choices you make,” says Bowers. That’s because the decision to fund one program
and not another is based on values, he says, which may differ from one person
to another. The district’s critics, he says, “need to respect that fact that
different elected officials in different institutions behave differently.”
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย For the district to become
financially stable, says Bowers, “New YorkState needs to get
a handle on what fiscal equity is for urban education.” A study released by the
Campaign for Fiscal Equity in March said that Rochester needs 39.9
percent more state funds to adequately educate students.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Bowers also thinks the city school
district should have more control over its revenue sources. Unlike suburban
districts, the Rochester school
district does not have taxing or bonding power, so it depends on the state and
city for revenue. “It is outside of our control,” he says. “You have to depend
on the good graces of others.”
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย “My own recommendation,” he says,
“would be to give the district fiscal independence.”
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย But Bowers also acknowledges that
more money doesn’t equal less accountability.”Even if the revenue
comes, you still have to spend it responsibly,” he says. “Given a continued
revenue problem, urban districts need to get a handle on where they want to
spend their money and then make a case for it.”
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย That means facing uncomfortable
choices, he says. With enrollment declining as the area’s population growth
stagnates, Bowers foresees more school closings. “Districts have to start
making harder decisions,” he says. He also thinks the city school should once
more review its central administrative positions, if only to silence critics.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Bowers also agrees that Rochester faces problems
unique to city districts. “It goes without saying that urban kids come with
vastly different problems,” he says.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย For board vice president Rob Brown,
that makes all the difference in the world. Brown rattles off statistics
pointing out the disadvantages city students face before they ever enter a
classroom. For example, elevated levels of lead in the blood are linked to
severe learning disabilities. In one elementary school he recently visited,
Brown says, 100 percent of the students had tested positive for lead, with over
40 percent at or above pathological levels. The district serves between 15,000
and 20,000 breakfasts a day, often to students who can’t get a good meal
anywhere else, he adds.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย “It requires an investment to bring
them up to speed,” says Brown. That investment represents money that suburban
schools — to which the city is often compared — don’t have to spend, or can
spend on things like computers and sports.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย “Middle class people don’t really
understand,” he says.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย “We have very little discretion over
our budget,” says Brown. He cites pensions as an example, which will cost the
district 172 percent more this year than two years ago. “We have no control”
over that, he says. What the district does have control over — things like class
sizes, magnet programs, arts and sports — is what suffers when money runs
out. For board veteran Brown, that’s evidence of a system and a community
that’s “thoroughly segregated.”
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Superintendent Manuel Rivera agrees.
“Inequity exists today just as it did in [the time of] Brown v. Board of
Education,” Rivera told the crowd gathered at last week’s board meeting.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย But pointing out inequity is one
thing, says Bowers, and motivating and mobilizing people to respond to it is
another challenge. “When it comes to education,” he says, “this community has
to examine what’s the responsibility of the district, what’s the responsibility
of the parents, and what’s the responsibility of the community.”
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย For most people right now, he
contends, “It’s easier to blame the district.”
This article appears in Aug 25-31, 2004.
