District unveils $72.1 million budget for 2006-07

Warwick — It’s that time again. The school budget process has begun. Monday night, retiring superintendent of Warwick schools, Dr. Joseph Natale, presented his last school budget, a $72.1 million spending plan for the 2006-07 school year. It is an increase of 4.98 percent. The base budget, which includes salaries and benefits, utilities, debt and supplies, increases 4.61 percent, up to $71.8 million. Staffing needs increase $256,116, up just .37 percent. This is the smallest proposed increase in nearly a decade. Last year, voters defeated the district’s $69.75 million budget twice. The first time by 15 votes; the second time by nearly 1,000 votes. The district is running on an austerity budget now. Natale is done at the end of this month after 18 years as superintendent. Frank Greenhall takes over on Feb. 1. Natale said one of the parameters of this year’s budget is to hold just one board-initiated vote. This budget includes cuts in teaching: one foreign language position at the high school and one at the elementary level through attrition. Increases in the base budget include $2 million in salaries and benefits and a $330,000 increase for electricity, heating and diesel fuel. Two elementary school teachers have been added — one for Grade 5 at Park Avenue and one kindergarten teacher at Pine Island. A part-time special education instructor is included, as is a custodian and a part time nurse at the high school. This is just the first step in the budget process. Two more work sessions are scheduled for Feb. 27 and March 20. On April 10 the school board will adopt the proposed budget for presentation to the voters. A public hearing takes place on May 8 at 7 p.m., and the budget vote is slated for May 16.