School Department, Selectmen Debate Need for Override

The Winchester School Department is asking the town which would equate to a $2,628,367 increase, making the 2013 school budget $38,349,537.

However, in order to attain that increase, Superintendent William McAlduff admitted that residents would .

“I believe so strongly in this budget,” McAlduff said. “In order to go forward with this budget, we know we need to have an override.”

Under Town Manager Richard Howard’s budget proposal, the school department would get a 5.2 percent increase, which is not enough, according to School Committee chair Chris Linskey.

“We need to eventually get money for these things,” Linskey said. “People will not tolerate diminished services. With vote people didn’t say no never, they said no, not right now.”

The district is requesting $816,335 or a 2.29 percent increase outside of its level services budget. Those funds include four part-time assistant principals, four elementary school psychologists and one clinical counselor for the high school.

According to McAlduff, in the last 15 years, Winchester went from 3,300 students to 4,400 students. McAlduff said that the number of administrative positions, central office administration and school administration has not changed over that time.

And while the Board of Selectmen agreed with the enrollment concerns, they were

“We’re trying not to have an override vote this year,” said Selectman Roger Berman. “It’s going to come down to [the school department] prioritizing your general needs. What you can do with and you can do without.”

“At this point in time the Town Manager has decided this is not the year for an override,” said Selectman Jim Johnson.

Part of the need for such a large increase is to get Winchester more in line with some of its neighboring communities.

According to McAlduff, Winchester’s per pupil expenditures are near the bottom in the state. In 2010, Winchester spent $11,356 per student. Neighboring communities – Belmont ($11,609), Concord-Carlisle ($18,872), Lexington ($15,862) and Wellesley ($15.332) – have all spent more than Winchester. The state average, according to McAlduff, is $13,093 per pupil.

“If this budget is funded at 7.36 percent increase, that would add $191 per student,” McAlduff said. “We’d still be at the bottom of the list, but we’d have an opportunity for improvement.”

Selectman chair Forrest Fontana said that Proposition 2 ½ doesn’t adequately fund the needs of the town and that an override is something that town needs once about every five years.

“The numbers don’t work without supplemental funds,” Fontana said. “The only alternative would be to have significant cuts.”

The Town Manager’s budget is due by Feb. 15, but without an override, the school department will not be able to fund all its requests.

“We’re not ready to have an override,” said Selectman Thomas Howley. “We need to speak for the needs of the entire town.”