School District's Budget Still Has More Questions Than Answers

It's a long road ahead for determining exactly how the state budget will impact the Oak Creek-Franklin School District.

The passage of Gov. Scott Walker's budget-repair bill and the unveiling of his state budget proposal made some things clear, but it left many other factors unknown. 

Superintendent Sara Burmeister laid out what is known and unknown in a School Board committee meeting Monday.

Known knowns

What is certain is that the revenue limit decreased by 5.5 percent, which for Oak Creek-Franklin means about a $2.7 million reduction. The district also estimates transportation costs will increase 2.9 percent - or about $226,000 - to create a shortfall of more than $3 million.

However, the district believes it will save almost $2 million thanks to employees contributing 5.8 percent of their salary toward the Wisconsin Retirement System, which was stipulated in Walker's budget-repair bill. 

In addition, retirements could save the district about $450,000. Twenty-seven teachers, so far, have filed for retirement.

Known unknowns

But there are still too many blanks that need to be filled before Oak Creek-Franklin can take any real action.

State aid estimates won't come out until July 1. The worst-case scenario is a 10 percent cut, Burmeister said, but the district won't know until this summer.

It is expected that changes to the district's health insurance plan will save more money. But until bids come back next month, that amount isn't known.

A myriad of other numbers - from retiree benefits, to changes in overtime pay, to Open Enrollment, to Chapter 220 funding - are yet to be determined, too. 

So while the budget-repair bill is now (maybe) law, Oak Creek and every other Wisconsin school district has a ways to go before finding out the true impact of Walker's proposal.

"We usually try to start doing budget estimates in February," Burmeister said. "It was a little more challenging this year. Trying to do it in March was even challenging."