Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget Foundation Aid topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Pittsford board warns of $1.5M shortfall, urges community advocacy for Foundation Aid
Summary
Superintendent Perrott told the Pittsford Central School District board the district faces a $1.5 million budget gap and urged residents to press state legislators for higher Foundation Aid, saying the district has been underpaid roughly $100 million since 2012; the board discussed budget‑neutral staffing restructurings to add operational redundancy.
Superintendent Perrott told the Pittsford Central School District board the district began this budget cycle with a $1,500,000 deficit and is pursuing attrition and efficiency measures to reduce that gap.
Perrott summarized steps already taken and planned: using reserves and attrition to lower the shortfall ‘‘from 1.5 now to about $700,000,’’ identifying additional operational efficiencies, and holding contingency “plan B” and “plan C” reductions for programs and personnel if state funding does not improve. He asked the community to contact state lawmakers and joined staff in encouraging advocacy materials on the district website.
Why it matters: Perrott framed the request for public pressure as a constitutional and fiscal concern for Pittsford schools. ‘‘If we were to calculate since 2012 what we've been promised and underpaid, it's about a $100,000,000,’’ he said, asserting that the district receives significantly less Foundation Aid than neighboring districts and asking residents to contact state legislators, including ‘‘Senator Brauc, and Assemblywoman Jen Lunsford.’’
Board members pressed administrators on tradeoffs. Several trustees expressed frustration about district underfunding and asked staff to preserve direct classroom resources. Administrators repeatedly described proposed staffing changes as budget‑neutral restructurings designed to reduce single points of failure rather than new FTE additions.
Numbers and next steps: Perrott said attrition alone has reduced the projected deficit substantially and that the district is continuing efforts to avoid cuts that would directly affect students. The administration asked the public to use provided advocacy resources and indicated further budget actions will be brought to future meetings if state aid does not improve.
The board also approved a consent agenda and moved on to other items; Perrott closed his report with a note on strong student performance across the district and holiday wishes.
