A Message from Dr. Joyner

On the November 2nd ballot you will be asked to consider a referendum that will restore funding for critical school maintenance and equipment needs that have been cut from the school district's budget.

This referendum will provide additional funds but will by no means restore the funding cuts which the district has experienced over the past three years. The requested .5 mills is expected to replace $10 million out of a $50 million deficit.

The school district budget is divided into two major areas: the operating budget, which covers day-to-day operating expenses such as salaries, electric bills, textbooks, etc., and the capital budget, which is used to plan, build, finance, maintain and equip our facilities. Since July 2007, the operating budget has been cut by $15 million. In order to absorb these cuts, the district:

• Eliminated over 300 jobs
• Implemented an energy program that saved more than $7.2 million in energy costs
• Cut school supply budgets by 25% and department budgets by 30%
• Froze salary schedules
• Cut all vendor contracts by 15%
• Eliminated all but state-mandated bus transportation

The cuts in the capital budget have been much deeper. The capital budget revenues have dropped by more than $34 million (50%) including a reduction of over $18 million (40%) in local capital outlay millage, which historically has been the primary source to finance, maintain and equip our schools. This decrease resulted from the Legislature's reduction of the capital outlay millage from its past 2-mill level to 1.5 mills and from the decline in taxable property values.

The cut in millage was partially offset by allowing school boards to levy an additional 0.25 mills. However, that authority expires this year, and the capital outlay millage going forward will be 1.5 mills, without further action. We have absorbed these cuts in our capital budget by adding classrooms to existing schools rather than building new schools, taking advantage of reduced construction and maintenance costs and using our capital fund reserves.

While the district's total budget was being cut by almost $50 million, the school district grew by 2,900 students and still managed to retain its status as the number one academic district in the state. In addition, St. Johns County continues to be the fifth highest district in the state in dollars spent at schools and the fifth lowest in the state in dollars spent at the district office.

In short, we have cut and balanced our budget for the past three years. We have not shortchanged our academic standards, and we have taken care of our 39 facilities, valued at more than $750 million. Here is our forecast:

• We expect to continue to grow
• We believe class size requirements will continue
• We expect the economy to recover very slowly
• We anticipate that federal support will come to an end
• We acknowledge our reserves could be quickly depleted

On November 2nd you will be asked to vote to replace the .5 mills to enable the school district to pay for critical maintenance needs. These .5 mills include .25 mills to replace millage currently levied but expiring this year and an additional .25 mills to restore millage the Legislature took away. As a result, the additional cost will be approximately $25 more per $100,000 of taxable property.

The term of the assessment is for a maximum of four years and the funds cannot be used for any other purpose. Even with the restoration of this millage, the total millage for schools will be well below the amount we received in 2000 - 2001.

Thank you for your consideration on November 2.