School budget plan unveiled

PROVO — The Provo Board of Education got its first look at the coming year's proposed budget on Thursday — which was conspicuously lacking the salary and benefit increases employees have been demanding in recent weeks.

The board is expected to adopt a final budget plan on June 21. The budget takes effect July 1.

District officials told the board there is not much flexibility because many programs and expenses are necessary to maintain current education standards for Provo children.

As proposed, all employees will receive a 0.5 percent cost-of-living increase while eligible employees will receive an additional 1.5 percent steps and lanes increase — pay raises that are tied to milestones such as graduate degrees or a specific number of years of district employment.

It's not likely employees will see any of that money in their monthly paychecks however. With medical insurance premiums scheduled to jump 22.9 percent, the district will begin requiring employees to pay 20 percent of the premium amount — something that hasn't been required in the past. Officials said the district can no longer afford to carry the full amount of the pre-miums.

Before the June 21 meeting, the proposed budget will be posted by the district at www.provo.edu for the public.

The proposed budget was developed through a series of committee meetings where priorities were identified, said Kerry Smith, Provo's business administrator.

"This is a six-month process for an organization of this size," he said.

Board member Darryl Alder said it has been difficult to communicate specific data and numbers during the dispute with the employees unions because the budget is so complex.

"Just under 80 percent (of the budget) is salaries and benefits," Alder said.

The salary and benefit numbers contained in the proposed budget are the same ones district officials offered weeks ago before negotiations with the employees unions for next year's contract reached an impasse.

No one from the Provo Education Association attended Thursday's meeting.

The teachers union has demanded a 2 percent cost-of-living increase for all em- ployees to go with the district's proposal of a 1.5 percent increase in steps and lanes pay raises.