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vhf3ra3 aprs 4 mhdtui iimrmr vikiv y at aw t t ju st ij jvvv wv3iw diamonds secure across from clock tower stouffville k saab repar specialist 172 bullock drive unit 31 markham 4718660 v6k8 no14 a metroland community newspaper satm circ 41q0 education trustees balfo cuts pending to keep hike to 5 julie caspersen staff reporter its back to the drawing board for trustees who refuse to hike school taxes by more than 5 per cehfc v the york region board of education should call it quits and levy a 78 per cent educa tional tax hike said director of education bob cressman but trustees want to shave the bud get as close to a five per cent target as possible trustees asked that the bud get be sent back to administra tion to trim an additional 10 million but cressman objected saying the move is not fair to staff members who have already shaved 15 million in the pro posed first draft of the budget i think you should set the rate at 78 per cent and walk away from it bob cressman advised the budget committee wednesday night he also rec- onmranded that trustees should take part of the responsibility for seeking out the cuts to pro grams and services im about ready to give up but if you want to dp it seriously you join us cressman said let the cuts come from colleagues and staff maybe it will be accepted with a degree of sensitivity cressman suggested stopping the practice of allowing commu nity group to use schools for a yearly savings of more than 1 million but acknowledged trustees want this practice to continue i have a problem with that but you dont but that will be a staff cut recommendation six trustees will join staff in zeroing in on feasible cuts to be presented to the budget commit tee next wednesday staff presented a list of 51 potential reductions at a febru ary meeting the reductions and their impact on the 1992 budget included cut the budget by 336000 by reducing the math and sci ence priority by 25 per cent and delete the 300000 budget reserved for refurbishing science labs cut transportation for french immersion and arts york for a savings of 218000 discontinue community use of schools for a 440000 saving for the remainder of this year in addition senior administra tive staff have been told to i reduce their salary expectations the board also attempted to renegotiate contracts signed last per cent wage hike oyer two year with their teachers the years effective september 1 contracts gave teachers an 11 1991 but the teachers federa- tion refused the offer to take pay exits in an effort to help the board balance its budget cuts at board draw little loem attention bruce stapley correspondent photosjoerd witteveen board chairman harry bowes explains some of the finer points of pending budget cuts to a sparse crowd at summitview pub lic school apublic meeting to explain proposed school board budget cuts drew only a minimal crowd to summitview public school recently i fifteen people- many of whom were teachers watched and questioned as york region board of education chairman and stouffville board trustee harry bowes displayed school officials budget paring sugges tions on an overhead screen among the areas offered for consideration for cutbacks are teachers and nonunion staff salaries transportation pupil- teacher ratios facilities renova tion arid expansion general expenses community use of schools and the boards math sci ence priority the night before the sum mitview meeting the boards bud get committee had passed motions which will reduce the number of consultants drastical ly cut allowances for supply teachers and wage freeze care takers overtime at 1991 levels bowes lamented the boards financial positiori claiming it would require a 99 per cent increase in the current years offered in 1991 with ministry of education grants expected to be cut drastically when they are announced april 1 bowes said the board arid the taxpayer would be faced with some tough decisions there will be a lot of cuts in the boards budget but there will still be a lot ofpain for the tax payer bowes said after outlining the proposed cutbacks bowes suggested to those in attendance that they think whether you would want these cut from your system or not f whenseveral in attendance questioned whether such com munity uses for schools- such as cubs and scouts were likely to be cut summitview principal doug winger told the audience not to fear the worst we were told to list everything but they the boardare looking at the things that cost the most bowes expressed the boards chagrin with the policies of the ministry of education saying the board was being told to do more with less money he cited the governments insistence that junior kindergarten be intro duced as an example it would cost 110 million to see page 3