A Sisyphean task, for those who have forgotten their Greek mythology, is one that requires continual and often ineffective effort. Specifically, Sisyphus was tasked with pushing a large boulder up a hill every day for eternity.
As we watch the Harwood Unified Union School District board and its finance committee grapple with how to bring the district’s per pupil spending down to be closer to the state average, Sisyphus’ eternal punishment comes to mind.
Let’s be clear – serving on the school board is not an easy task during the best of times. Throw in the machinations of this year’s spending and budget cycle and the best efforts of the board and finance committee to bring down costs and you’ve created an incredibly difficult task. Thank you to those who are willing to undertake this work. We’re grateful.
But consider this: while the finance committee grapples with cost-saving measures like reduced transportation, pay to play athletics, more contracted services and corporate sponsorships, those folks are also trying to figure out how to balance educator health care increases of 18-20% in the coming year.
These increases are part of a statewide negotiated contract and come against the backdrop of the Green Mountain Health Care Board authorizing 22.8% increases for Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) small group members and 11.1% for MVP small group members (that’s if you get insurance through an employer). The Green Mountain Care Board authorized an 19.8% for BCBS individual rates and an 14.2% increase for MVP individual rates (if you purchase your own health care).
How can we possibly balance our budget with these kinds of increases let alone reduce it. We’re setting ourselves up for failure and will have well-insured staffers (we all deserve good health insurance) and poorly served students.
