Uncertainty remains as South Milwaukee School District officials consider their 2013-14 budget, but this much is certain: The scenarios aren’t pretty … and Obamacare will have an impact.
The district has published its “budget impact statement” in advance of a public input meeting set for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27, at the South Milwaukee High School library.
While impacts will depend on the actual size of per-pupil revenue limit increases, the school board is considering making changes to health plans (saving up to $250,000), as well as a $135,000 reduction in retiree health care costs, as more employees are expected to be coming off the district-paid plans than coming on to it in the next year.
The district is also considering increasing annual student fees by $10, resulting in $25,000 in new revenue, among other changes.
Another significant change potentially coming next year: reductions in hours for some part-time district workers (especially aides, office staff and food service workers) due to the Affordable Care Act. As you recall, Obamacare requires that employers provide health coverage for all employees working at least 30 hours per week. The estimated budget impact of the requirement for the district is $600,000, and the district said paying this is “impossible … given the situation the district has been in over the last decade.”
All of this and more will be discussed at next Wednesday’s meeting, which will focus on “small group discussion around the important topics of public education funding, budget recommendations and staff motivation,” according to the district.
I’ll keep you posted, and post your comments below!
(See all the school budget documents here. And here is my previous post on this.)
South Milwaukee Blog 
Obamacare, negative? Just wait.