Levy is unavoidable, superintendent says

A cut in state subsidy is expected to result in a district deficit by the end of June.
By HAROLD GWIN
Vindicator education writer
YOUNGSTOWN -- The superintendent of Youngstown city schools says the financial crunch facing the district will result in voters' being asked to approve an operating levy.
"It's inevitable," Dr. Wendy Webb said after Tuesday's school board meeting.
Just how big that levy will be and when it will appear before voters have yet to be determined, she said.
Youngstown had expected to end this fiscal year in the black, but a recent state report saying that the district will be getting $6.7 million less than anticipated in subsidy funds has changed that picture.
Carolyn Funk, district treasurer, told the board she now is anticipating a year-end deficit and should have estimates available in February.
Webb said the district is looking at staff cuts and other ways to reduce spending but has no final plan in place yet.
No layoffs
There can't be any layoffs this year because all employees are protected by existing contracts, she said, noting that the focus will be on the 2006-07 school year and beyond.
She had no layoff estimates.
Some vacancies won't be filled and a number of people will be retiring, reducing the number that might face layoffs, she said, adding that layoff warnings must be presented to affected employees by March 30.
Webb indicated that any cuts made will be across the board. There are two administrative positions vacant right now that won't be filled, she said.
The district has a second report from the state showing that it has more classroom teachers than it should for the number of pupils it serves.
The report shows Youngstown with 374 classroom teachers (in addition to remedial program teachers, guidance counselors, art and music teachers and others) but says the number should be only 240.
Anthony DeNiro, assistant superintendent of school business affairs, said the administration has launched a teacher-by-teacher, program-by-program review to see where cuts can be made.
The district is walking a fine line, Webb said, pointing out that it needs to reduce staff in line with enrollment, but must also focus on improving academic achievement to get out of the state's "academic emergency" rating.
The district has to show that it is taking steps to cut costs before it can go to the public with a tax levy, she said.
Wage freeze
Meanwhile, the district's American Federation of State, County & amp; Municipal Employees union and its five crafts unions have agreed to take a one-year wage freeze in new, one-year agreements ratified by the school board Tuesday.
Webb said the 500 AFSCME and 16 painters, plumbers, carpenters and other crafts people realize the district's financial condition and agreed to what are termed "successor" agreements, essentially continuation of existing contracts for another year.
By law, Youngstown can't negotiate new contracts because of the deficit it is facing. The district can't certify up front that it would have the funds to pay for any wage increases in a new agreement, she said.
Both contracts take effect Wednesday and run for one year, with the parties agreeing to start negotiations on new three-year contracts before that expiration date.
gwin@vindy.com