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Burlington, IA – Superintendent Lee Morrison says the deficit could be anywhere from $2.7-million-$3.3-million. He says the final number will be determined by what lawmakers do over the next few weeks in Des Moines.
Morrison says the district will raise property taxes to cover about 1/3 of the shortfall. He says another $1.7-million needs to be cut from next year's spending plan.
Morrison says some vacancies will go unfilled, travel and training budgets will be cut, and new textbooks will not be ordered. He says elementary school class sizes will be increased and some employees will also have to be let go.
Morrison plans to present his formal recommendations to the Burlington School Board on Monday, March 8. He says his list will not include the closing of Corse Elementary School.
Morrison's recommendations are expected to include a district-wide reorganization plan. Burlington's budget must be certified by April 12.
The district may have another option when it comes to saving some money.
Superintendent Lee Morrison came to the Burlington School District in the summer of 2007. His final day on the job will be June 30.
Morrison will become the superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Davenport. He will oversee more than a dozen schools, including Burlington Notre Dame and Holy Trinity Catholic Schools in Fort Madison.
Morrison says he will keep working hard for the Burlington School District.
Morrison is in the first year of a three year contract. The Burlington School Board will have to release Morrison from that deal and then decide how to replace him.