Riverbank schools trustees OK $1.4M in budget cuts for 2008-09

Some ask about cutting administrators' benefits

By EVE HIGHTOWER
ehightower@modbee.com

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RIVERBANK -- Trustees narrowly approved $1.4 million in cuts to Riverbank Unified School District's budget at a meeting Tuesday night.

The cuts amount to 5 percent of the district's $28.2 million budget for the 2008-09 school year.

In a 3-2 vote, trustees Egidio Oliveira and Pamela Floyd opposed the budget plan, which was created by a committee that included union and district representatives along with private citizens.

Modbee.com continuing coverage: School budget crisis

"I still think we're cutting the meat and leaving the fat," Oliveira said, alluding to administrators' full health care benefits.

Bus driver Tammy Courtroul agreed.

"Has there been any discussion of cuts to administrators' pay?" she asked.

"We're looking at everything we can do," board President Ron Peterson said.

Cuts include offering some teachers early retirement incentives.

Those incentives have yet to be approved by the Stanislaus County Board of Education.

If approved and senior teachers accept the offer, it could help save 12 new teachers from being laid off, Riverbank Unified Superintendent Joe Galindo said.

In addition to offering early retirement incentives, the budget cuts approved Tuesday include a teacher aide position, office clerk, custodian, bus driver, various contracts for things such as a speech language program, summer school for second- to seventh-graders, field trips, 10 percent of supplies and travel expenses to conferences.

Teacher Jerry Pief said the cuts will sting, but the district will absorb them.

"It's amazing what people can rise to, but it will create stress," he said.

Bee staff writer Eve Hightower can be reached at ehightower@modbee.com or 578-2382.