Testimony on HB 2475 House Taxation Committee
From the Superintendent's Desk
by Mike Mathes, Ed.S., Superintendent
January 21, 2010
Dear Chairman Carlson and members of the Committee:
My name is Mike Mathes and I am the superintendent of schools from Seaman USD 345. The Seaman school district is a suburban district located in northern Topeka and Shawnee County. We have 3,730 students enrolled in pre-K through 12th grade. The Seaman public schools have long been a source of pride for our community.
First, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. I am here to provide testimony about how recent budget cuts have impacted the Seaman school district and Governor Parkinson's proposal to increase the sales tax by one cent for the next three years. More importantly, however, I am here to convey our desire to work with you to identify solutions that will prevent additional cuts to education programs.
The 2010 Legislative Session promises to be one of the most challenging in the history of our state as we continue to deal with an economic downturn of global proportions. As one of those charged with leading our state through the budget and revenue crisis we are currently experiencing, I know you will be called upon to make some of the most weighty decisions of your legislative service.
Impact of recent budget reductions
The investment our state has made in schools has been critical to the success we have seen in student achievement and in preparing students for entry into the workforce. The Seaman school district has done an excellent job managing the district's finances and ensuring that each student receives a quality education. In response to the funding reductions enacted this past year, the Seaman school district:
- Used all of the money saved through the consolidation of four elementary schools to two elementary schools
- Transferred money saved by consolidating two middle schools into the contingency fund to pay bills and payroll when state aid payments are delayed
- Eliminated 31.5 positions (including 3 administrative, 5.5 teachers, 23 classified)
- Reduced the special education and administrative staff development budgets
Planning for the future
Governor Parkinson's budget proposal calls for a three-year, one-cent increase in the state sales tax as part of a plan to enhance revenue and prevent additional cuts to K-12 education and other state programs. Our understanding is that this proposal would yield approximately $300 million a year for the next three years.
We realize that raising taxes or identifying additional sources of revenue is never an easy or popular task; however, the Seaman school district is optimistic and committed to engaging in a dialogue about alternatives to additional cuts. The one-cent sales tax increase would certainly help maintain funding levels and would prevent additional, harmful reductions that would negatively impact student achievement and result in further workforce reductions.
So, what happens if a revenue enhancement package is not enacted and school funding is cut even further? The State Department of Education estimates that without additional revenue there could an additional $187 million cut from schools next year. For the Seaman school district, that would result in a reduction of $1.5 million dollars on top of the $1.2 million already cut. These additional cuts may result in:
- Deeper cuts to building, instructional, professional development and library budgets
- Eliminating field trips
- Eliminating many middle school extracurricular activities
- Eliminating some sports, including non-varsity sports, at the high school level
- Eliminating almost all non-special education paraprofessionals
- Eliminating 10 to 20 teaching positions
- Increase class size
- Eliminating after school programs
- Reducing the number of elective courses offered
- Increasing the local option mill levy
As you see, any further cuts will significantly impact our students, our workforce and our community. The Seaman school district is not asking you to increase school funding in the upcoming year, but we are imploring you: NO MORE CUTS. Educating our children and building strong communities requires a shared commitment, collaboration and open dialogue. This is a critical point in the history of Kansas education. The Seaman school district is proud of the unprecedented academic achievement our students have made - not only in the district, but also throughout the state. Are we going to cut ourselves into mediocrity, or are we going to step up and demand excellence? I can assure you that the Seaman school district and administrators statewide are committed to ensuring that our students continue along this path of increasing academic excellence and that our schools continue to be a source of pride for our community...our state.
