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School cuts prompt dissent

Upset with lawmakers who cut state funding for public schools, the Sioux Falls School Board president voted Monday against formal adoption of the district's 2012 budget.

Kent Alberty said he is not satisfied with the 6.6 percent per-student cut that the Legislature and Gov. Dennis Daugaard handed public schools in the spring. He hoped to send a message by deviating from what typically is a routine 5-0 vote.

"We are being forced to adopt a budget that I don't believe is completely adequate," Alberty said. "I can't with clear conscience walk away from this table tonight thinking a unanimous vote was the appropriate thing."

The state aid cut will cost the Sioux Falls district about $6.8 million next year. In response, the board raised its property tax freeze opt-out by $2.5 million and reduced its general fund budget from $130 million to $125 million.

Budget cuts included 3 percent pay cuts for administrators and the elimination of a handful of administrative jobs, as well as teacher pay cuts averaging 2.05 percent and the overhaul of an elementary reading program.

Board member Darin Daby said the board and budget committees struck a good balance between reducing spending and raising local revenue.

"I think we did the best we possibly could at minimizing the effect on students," he said.

In his first board meeting back after one year away, Doug Morrison said the community expected them to make some spending cuts. Still, the new $7.5 million opt-out is evidence that the district is underfunded by at least $7.5 million, he said.

"We can't lose sight of that message," Morrison said.

During the discussion, board member Kate Parker called for revisions to the budget planning process. Only two of the five elected board members participate on the budget review committee, so the other three learn the details at the same time as the public.

In April, when the board adopted the budget for the first time, Parker criticized cuts to the Reading Recovery program. She finally voted in favor of the overall plan that night but complained that the tight timeline left her feeling powerless to change what the committee had recommended.

Parker offered no specific changes to the process Monday but asked that the administration engage the full board sooner when dramatic changes are being considered.

"When we are looking at big cuts like that, (we should) involve the rest of the board members that don't sit on the budget review committee so it's not so shocking," she said.

This has to be the most !!! adoption ever - Message Boards - The ...

When I got to the mall, there was a shiny black limo idling in front of PetCo. The lady, who looked like a retired movie star, came in with her uniformed driver (with a hat...omg, I wanted that hat), met the cats, got smooshy with them and adopted them. The very correct driver carried the carriers out, put the lady in the limo and then put the carriers in. My hissy kittens are responding very well to my efforts. One of them now sticks his paw out of the cage and meows when he sees me coming, one of them "hides" in their covered bed but comes out as soon as I open the cage door and the shyest one hides behind the bed but has stopped hissing and fighting when I pick him up for cuddles. Their pictures will go up when they are ready to be adopted. I'm not really bumping this thread. According to the rules, I'm supposed to show pics of my fosters whenever possible. Here are my fosters . I didn't see their pics when I was on last. I don't have the solid grey one, but the others are in my cage. They are not barncats. Not anymore. They are sweet lil mosshy kittens who are a little bit scared. I'll have the director change that tomorrow.

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