CPS Budget: The Numbers
Make It Make Sense
In an 6-8% inflationary environment, the FinCom and the Select Board wanted the Concord Publish Schools to make do with a 2024 Budget increase of just 3.3%, while the rest of the town got a 6.5% increase.
As a percentage of the overall town budget, the CPS 2024 budget is the lowest it's been in 17 years (see below).
The town proposed and got a 2024 Town Government budget that represents an 6.5+ increase (see below), and yet the published FinCom guideline for the Town Government budget was for only a 5.0% increase (see below).
The CPS forecast for the 2024 budget given to the town was for a 4.3% increase. The actual 2024 proposed budget was within 4/10th of 1% or this forecast, at 4.7%.
The 2024 Minuteman Regional Technical School 2024 budget was up 4.5% (3 new hires, 5% transportation and 8% energy increases) and received unanimous backing by the FinCom.
About 50 letters were received by the FinCom, all in unanimous support of Dr. Hunter and the proposed CPS budget.
The town is considering spending $2M on the 250th Anniversary of Concord.
The town is being awarded $5M+ in federal ARPA funds related to COVID impact and none are currently earmarked for the schools.
Context: 2024 Town Government Budget
The town is proposing to spend $132M in 2024 and asked for an increase of 6.5%+ for the second biggest expense, the Town Government budget. This is a significant increase but is in-line with inflation (as one might expect)...So why then did the FinCom and Select Board ask CPS to absorb only a 3.3% increase?
Revised to a 6.5%+ increase, yet no mention of cuts.
The FinCom wanted this to be cut down to 3.3%.
Context: 2024 CPS Budget
as a % of the Town's Budget
According to the town budget book, the current budget request represents the LOWEST number in 17 years, as a percentage of the overall town budget.
This is the lowest percentage in 17 years!
ARPA Funds
From what we can gather, the town of Concord will receive over $5M in relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. $125B of ARPA funds were been specifically earmarked for "K-12 school districts and state education departments. Most of the money is intended to address learning loss suffered by students during pandemic-induced school closures." Source.
So why are we not allocating ARPA funds for our schools or to help alleviate tax implications?
Context: 2024 Town Government Budget
Guideline is 5%
According to the FinCom report, the suggested guideline for the Town Government is a 5% increase and yet the 2024 Budget is getting a 6.5%+ increase if you rightly include the $600K carry-over money from 2023 and the opioid settlement.
Guideline is 5% and yet the 2024 Town Budget contains an 6.5% increase