The Easton Area School District might not replace about 20 retiring and resigning employees to save money and bridge a $3 million budget gap.
Superintendent Tracy Piazza presented the budget plan at the Easton Area School Board meeting on Tuesday. The preliminary budget unveiled last month by then-acting Chief Financial Officer Hans Baltzersen had a $12 million deficit. Piazza proposed trimming that deficit by cutting 20 jobs through attrition. Their salaries and benefits for those jobs add up to about $3 million, she said.
“To dispel any rumors that are out there, we will not be furloughing anyone,” Piazza said, “The rumors have been a little bit rampant. We are not eliminating any positions.”
Some of the retiring employees “most certainly have to be replaced,” but the district will have to make do without others, she said.
She anticipates a minimal impact on classroom sizes. The district would remain below the district’s pre COVID-19 goal of 25 or less students per class, she said.
She also proposed raising taxes 3.5%, cutting the deficit is by raising tax collection rates from 93.5% to 95.5%, cutting $1 million in bus purchases, and forecasting increased state funding for basic and special education programs.
She said these changes will be reflected in the preliminary budget proposed for adoption in May. The budget changes will help fund a proposed new Easton Area High School.
Easton Area Education Association President Kevin Deely told the board to do everything in its power to replace retired staff members.
“We’ve fought tooth and nail over the last several years to get that staff in place to help our kids recover from [COVID-19],” Deely said. He referenced previous staff cuts made to balance previous years’ budgets.
He said losing 20 employees would negatively impact “stretched thin” staffers as well as students. He said he wants to continue to see work done for the good of the students.
At the regular school board meeting in March, board member Michael Simonetta said he supports cutting staff through attrition to balance the budget.
Piazza said she would honor Simonetta’s request to discuss the budget with the school board finance committee before the next details budget presentation. She hopes to offer a more detailed budget presentation at the April 23 school board meeting.
Board president Meg Sayago said in March that cutting teachers and increasing class sizes would negatively impact the students.
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Chelsea Kun may be reached at ckun@lehighvalleylive.com.