Santa Fe school board OKs $260 million budget
District to tap cash reserves to cover some expenses
The Santa Fe school board on Tuesday unanimously approved a $260 million operating budget for 2020-21 that cuts nine administrative positions from the district’s central office and dips into cash reserves to cover nearly $400,000 worth of classroom materials.
During the public meeting, held by videoconference, officials said they expect to revisit the spending plans following a special legislative session that starts June 18.
New Mexico lawmakers must address a massive shortfall in projected state revenues — a combination of economic effects from the COVID-19 pandemic and plunging oil prices — that could cut into funding for public schools.
“This will continue to change. I have no doubt about that,” Superintendent Veronica García told the board.
She outlined her plan to cover a $7 million increase in expenses in the next school year, largely due to $4.4 million to pay for a mandated 4 percent salary increase for all employees and $1.5 million in benefit cost hikes.
Lawmakers have said those raises could be on the chopping block next month.
While García had proposed cutting costs by eliminating eight positions from the central office, the budget approved by the board Tuesday cuts nine staff members to save $950,000. The board also approved using $385,000 from the district’s $5.3 million in cash reserves to pay for art supplies and other instructional materials.
The budget also includes $2.6 million in expected pandemic-related aid from the federal coronavirus relief act.
Board President Kate Noble praised García for keeping cuts away from classrooms — at least for now.
“I don’t think we have a lot of options for more cuts that can stay away from the classroom,” Noble said.
“Unfortunately,” she added, “we’re facing a world with increasing costs due to the pandemic and shrinking budgets.”
One of the increased costs related to the pandemic will be for additional custodial staff.
Kristy Janda Wagner, executive director of operations for Santa Fe Public Schools, said the district has spent over $340,000 this spring to buy disinfectants, sanitizers, sneeze guards and other protective equipment. For the next school year, she said, the district
plans to tap into voter-approved property tax revenues to hire additional custodial staff to clean facilities — if and when they reopen.
“Existing staff can’t keep up with existing responsibilities and the new sanitization cycles,” Janda Wagner said. “The new [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidelines say to clean desks and other services multiple times per day. When we have all these full buildings, that’s a lot of work.”
The state Public Education Department still must approve Santa Fe Public Schools’ application for federal aid. García and Noble said they’re hopeful the funds will come through.
“That $2.6 million is so so important now,” Noble said. “It could be a lot worse without that.”