Budget questions linger

Chuck Kajer, Managing Editor

The New Prague Area School Board has a 2009-10 budget ready for adoption, but is waiting until the Minnesota Legislature and Gov. Tim Pawlenty reach an agreement on education funding as the legislative session nears its scheduled May 18 end.

The school district has put together a budget assuming there would be no increase in state funding for the 2009-10 school year. During the Monday, April 27, meeting of the New Prague Area School board, finance director Dan Pyan told board members that the Minnesota Senate is proposing an across-the-board cut of all state spending, meaning the district could lose nearly $900,000 in state funding, while Gov. Pawlenty has proposed a budget increase that is tied to each district's performance on standardized tests.

The budget waiting adoption mirrors a proposal by the House of Representatives that calls for a freeze in funding levels for schools. The district's budget proposal includes $1.02 million in adjustments