Portland Public Schools should spend down its savings account rather than cut physical education teachers in the face of a $19 million cut in state spending, the school board was told repeatedly Tuesday during a packed budget hearing.
But board members, including David Wynde, the budget chairman, said the board must hold the line and not spend any more from savings given a looming $50 million shortfall for Portland schools in the next two school years, taking into account state revenue forecasts.
“I reluctantly feel we have got to hold on to our reserves,” and make permanent cuts to the staffing levels and operating costs of the school system, said board member Dilafruz Williams. “It’s sobering, it’s depressing, but it’s the reality we are facing.”
“No matter what we do there is going to be harm to our students,” said board member Ruth Adkins. “There is just no way to avoid that.”
Board member Pam Knowles said she might be willing to take some amount, but not the full $19 million, from savings to blunt the pain this fall, knowing there will be more pain ahead. “No matter how much we have in reserves, it’s not going to see us through this.” In coming years, “we have to consolidate our programs; we have to close some schools.”
