SD2 Budget Mistake

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By Arianna Bennett

Story Published: Mar 11, 2010 at 8:24 PM MDT

Story Updated: Mar 12, 2010 at 11:11 AM MDT

BILLINGS - A mistake in School District 2's budget forecast is leaving board members scrambling.

District financial services made the budget forecast last summer, predicting a $1.1 million deficit. But when they reviewed the forecast in February, they found an additional $900,000 shortfall: federal dollars received in the previous year that they forgot to subtract from the new budget.

The oversight brings the school district's deficit to nearly $2 million for 2011. The true size of the deficit shocked some board members.

"In the pit of my stomach, it was like 'Is this really true? Can our shortfall be in fact this large?'" District Superintendent Jack Copps said. "And the second thing is, how in the world are we going to find additional resources, or additional cuts to address this shortfall?"

Copps said the district will deal with the mistake, but the options are not pretty. Cuts could include programs for at-risk students, and teachers have already been surveyed about forfeiting a percentage of their raises. Options for cuts and other ways to make up the deficit will be considered at a meeting on March 15th.

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Daniel said on Friday, Mar 12 at 1:08 PM

How about cutting back the superintendent salary? Or other administrators?

DPS said on Friday, Mar 12 at 9:49 AM

I know the answer let's ask for another mill-levy. We'll call it the I'm old and senile levy.

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