Budgeting

Salem has a budget problem this year. Some grants are ending, state funding is down and costs continue to rise. We need to make up a substantial deficit to balance the budget. The mayor invited us (the members of the teacher cabinet) to weigh in this evening. Our TeachPlus leader set us up in groups and assigned us the task of identifying our five nonnegotiables (things that absolutely should not be cut) and our five recommendations for places to rethink. I was surprised which aspects of this activity were challenging, so I don't want to take away your chance at discovery. Tomorrow I'll share some of the items we discussed. For now, consider what your own recommendations would be if there was a budget crisis in your district.