YOUR AD HERE »

Override needed to balance state funding losses

Christine Hamrick

Dear Editor,

Many publications over the past year have discussed state and federal budget concerns. Other organizations affiliated with education have said that these issues could result in funding cuts to school districts. For Garfield Re-2, this has resulted in future funding concerns and funding cuts.

Our funding for Leave No Child Behind was reduced by $35,000 this year. Also, $70,000 in state textbook funds was cut. An additional $85,000 was reduced from our Amendment 23 funding – a state constitutional amendment passed by the voters increasing district funding annually by inflation plus 1 percent plus growth – due to an across-the-board reduction in the state’s formula.



While we received a 1.9 percent inflationary increase per child from the state this year, it was significantly less than the 4.7 percent inflationary increase received last year. Comparatively, inflation and other factors have increased our non-salary budget by 7.9 percent this year, simply to keep things the same as they have been in the past!

State legislators have tough decisions regarding how to spend their shrinking pot of money. However, we are not expecting the state’s budget situation to get better soon. Within the next few years, the state will most likely need to reduce Amendment 23 funding. Since 72 percent of Re-2’s funding comes from state sources, we need additional local support to assure Re-2 receives the funding it needs.



Please vote for the Garfield Re-2 mill levy override for the future of our schools and our community.

Christine Hamrick

Director of Finance, Garfield School Re-2

Rifle


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Glenwood Springs and Garfield County make the Post Independent’s work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.