TPS balances $39M budget deficit

TOLEDO, Ohio (WUPW) - After months of cuts and negations, the Toledo Public School district has a balanced budget, but it's not a time for celebration.

"I understand that this is not the solution and I think that's very important for our community to understand," said Bob Vasquez, board president. "So when anybody talks about celebrating, I'm not celebrating."

The deal came down to the wire Tuesday evening at district headquarters in the city's north end, but the board of education approved the final measures that closed the $39 million budget gap.

Earlier in the year the school district was looking at a $30 million deficit, but after May's failed levy, the deficit increased to nearly $40 million.

The trimming didn't come easy. The approved cuts include the elimination of about 400 jobs, the majority of them teachers.

By law, a balanced budget needed to be in place by June 29.

The district is already looking an even bigger budget deficit for the 2010-11 fiscal year that begins Thursday, July 1.

Unions representing employees, like the Toledo Federation of Teachers, agreed to concessions over the past week, and the contracts included pay cuts and layoffs. Two school board members, Larry Sykes and Jack Ford, voted against those contract which were eventually passed.

"I don't think a 1-percent concession was appropriate given the magnitude of the cuts," Ford said.

A total of $39 million in cuts have been made over the past couple months. The include eliminating things like crossing guards, elementary summer school, middle school and freshman athletics, school uniforms, and busing.

High school students will have to find another way to school along with elementary students living 2 miles or less away from school.

Libbey High School was also closed.

"These were tough times for everybody and we got what we could to balance that budget," said Superintendent John Foley, who is retiring from his position JUly 30.

With a new fiscal year beginning Thursday, things do not look any better for the district. A $44 million budget deficit is already projected."

"There is going to be school next year," Vasquez said. "There is going to be classes. Classroom sizes might be larger, but we're going to be working on some long-term solutions. What this does, since we balanced the budget, is given us some room to come up with some long-term solutions."

As for those who will be losing their jobs in the upcoming school year, pink slips are expected to go out within a week.