The past few years have been almost as difficult
for local governments as it has for the private sector. Unlike state and
federal governments -- which still seem addicted to their spend-heavy ways
despite the short-term and long-term financial implications – municipalities and
school districts have had a dose of fiscal reality that once was found only in
the business world and in peoples’ homes. They have had to make some very
difficult and unpopular cuts and their residents find themselves doing without
in order to balance budgets or keep spending increases at a minimum.
Things really aren’t getting any better; their
sources of revenue remain stressed. Most businesses are still depressed and definitely
hesitant about future growth (the unemployment rate is 8.8% in NY). State and local sales tax revenues are a
combined $300 million below projections across the state. New federal standards
have changed the way educational funding is acquired (“Race to the Top”). The state’s
population continues to both decrease and age (upstate’s median age rose by
nearly 7 years in the period of 1990 to 2010). Foreclosures are still at
epidemic levels across the Empire State (140,000 homes are currently seriously
delinquent).
Because of those factors, and no real relief in
sight, local governments will have to get even more creative in the coming
months and years. What was thought to be hard decisions in recent years will
look almost pedestrian to what will have to happen in 2013, 2014, and beyond.
Nothing is out of question and everything is fair game. Even the most
sacrosanct of all publically-funded programs should be considered for the
chopping block. First and foremost should be high school athletics.
When it comes to budgeting at your workplace and
with your household finances, every dollar -- no, every cent - matters. That
same belief should hold true with school budgets. Just because something seems
like such a small piece of the puzzle doesn’t necessarily make it so. It’s an
accumulation of those small pieces that contribute to the overall organization.
When you expand on the statistics, the reality of that is evident.
Consider that sports often count for less than 1%
of total spending in local school districts. At Royalton-Hartland, it’s 0.93%
and at Williamsville it’s 0.91%. Those with only a passing interest in budget
details will say it’s “only 1%” and, therefore, that small investment that
should be made. But, what is “only 1%” in terms of dollars? At Roy-hart, it’s
$206,000. Big money. At the far larger Williamsville school district it’s a
jaw-dropping $1.5 million.
Let’s look at that impact in two ways. First, what
will 1% buy the district? If the schools had to make a 1% cut and weigh
academics versus athletics and athletics lost out, Roy-Hart would save the jobs
of 4 teachers while Williamsville would save the jobs of 28 teachers (for the
sake of this analysis I am using a $53,000 median wage which is between a
starting point of $39,000 and a 25-year average of $67,000). Secondly, what
would 1% save you? Were 1% cut and allowed to go back into the economy, every
man, woman and child in Roy-Hart would have an extra $23 per year. Williamsville
residents would have $20 each to spend.
The quick retort from parents who have kids in
school sports will be that spending should increase by 1% to make sure we have the
sports. But, they must realize that this percentage point is one of just many;
costs are going up for everything in this world (the inflation rate for 2012 is
around 2%) and schools must also fund true necessities –like labor, supplies,
utilities and facilities. Then, there’s the matter of the state’s 2% tax cap to
contend with, which inhibits schools from spending as madly as they used to
(although 2% every year is still maddening). It’s also a fact that we have a
graying population who live on fixed incomes (Social Security and small
pensions) and can ill afford annual increases in school taxes of any size. Then
there’s the Big Picture: New Yorkers already spend more on public education
than anyone else, $18,618, which is 75% more than the national average and the
driver behind our unconscionable property taxes (I figure that, after rate
increases, I will be paying more than $300,000 on school taxes over my lifetime
for my rural home and 5 acres).
But, enough about the financial aspects of sports.
Next week we’ll focus on the philosophical side of school sports – Why public
funding of athletics is inherently wrong and who should assume responsibility
for footing the bill.
Bob Confer is a Gasport resident and vice president of Confer Plastics Inc. in North Tonawanda. E-mail him at bobconfer@juno.com.
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This column originally ran in the 08 October 2012 Greater Niagara Newspapers
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