Mary Ann -- Isn't this YOUR school district?

From John Curry, April 15, 2009

Mary Ann,

Isn't this your school district? They are reacting to the current economic crisis by layoffs. How many layoffs is STRS planning on due to the current economic crunch and the tremendous loss of investments at STRS?

John

Toledo Blade, April 15, 2009

School board in Oregon plans teacher, staff layoffs

By JULIE M. McKINNON
Blade STAFF writer

The Oregon school board last night approved a plan to lay off 31 teachers, 2 administrators, and up to 30 other staff members next school year to save nearly $3.2 million a year.

If that isn't enough, 13 more teaching, administrative, and staff positions will need to be eliminated, bringing the total savings to nearly $3.8 million, Superintendent Mike Zalar said.

The plan Mr. Zalar recommended also calls for union employees to forgo a raise next year as they have in the past, have no increase in health-care premiums, and agree to other changes. Eliminating jobs through attrition instead of layoffs no longer is enough, he said.

"There just aren't enough other places to go in the budget without affecting the quality and overall integrity of our education," Mr. Zalar said.

Oregon is facing a $1.9 million deficit in the 2009-10 school year, an amount expected to balloon to $7 million the following year. Without any changes, the deficit would be nearly $23.5 million in the 2012-13 school year, Mr. Zalar said.

More than 150 district employees, parents, and residents packed Clay High School's library for the board's meeting. The district now has 434 employees and 3,872 students. Students, Mr. Zalar said, will encounter minimal impact from the changes. Classes will be slightly larger, some will be phased out or eliminated, and others will be offered less frequently, he said.

The community must understand that the district has not been mismanaged, but funding changes and shortfalls on the state level have caused its budget problems, David Schafer, president of the Oregon City Federation of Teachers, told the crowd.

Much of the district's recent financial woe is attributed to House Bill 66, which is gradually eliminating personal tangible property taxes on the value of business equipment and inventory. The Oregon district has lost about a quarter of its annual revenue - more than $10 million a year - because of the tax law change, officials said.

In the last three years, the district has reduced annual expenditures by $3.5 million. Mr. Zalar plans to give the community an update on the district's financial status at 6 p.m. April 23 in Clay's auditorium.

Contact Julie M. McKinnon at: jmckinnon@theblade.com or 419-724-6087.