New Castle schools budget still has $1.9 million deficit

NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- It's unlikely that the city school budget will be balanced when school board members vote on it Monday.
The 2002-03 budget still has about a $1.9 million deficit, said Marie Pisano, school business manager.
School officials are meeting again at 4 p.m. Friday to see if any other cuts can be made. Pisano said at a special budget committee meeting Tuesday night that the district is still working on reducing costs and that work will continue through the coming school year.
Budget focus
Each school board meeting will now have a section dedicated to budgeting and finance, she said.
The district started planning the 2002-03 budget with a $4 million deficit.
The school board pared that number down by not replacing retiring teachers and other staff and taking over classes that they once paid the Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV to handle.
Property owners will also see an 8-mill tax increase. That is estimated to bring in an extra $550,000.
The law
Pisano said state law requires school districts to pass a balanced budget each year, but it's unlikely the state will take any action against New Castle as long as it can pay its salaries and bills.
Pisano is projecting a $2.2 million shortfall for the 2003-04 school year.