District approves $137-million budget

Danette Goulet

NEWPORT-MESA -- School board members passed the district’s

$137.4-million budget Tuesday night, and for the first time ever it

doesn’t require an interpreter.

“If budgets can be friendly, I think we do have a friendly budget,”

said school board member Wendy Leece. “Anyone in the community who wants

to scrutinize the district’s spending habits should be able to do so.

It’s not rocket science anymore, it’s really easy.”

The newly revamped district budget makes it possible for anyone to

pick up the document and understand where those millions of dollars are

going.

The most drastic changes in the current budget, compared to those of

past years, are the layout and the manner in which it was created.

In the new budget, nearly every dollar that the district plans to

spend is tied to one of the goals that can be found in the Newport-Mesa

Unified School District Strategic Plan.

The only items not tied to district goals are items that are mandated

by the state or federal governments, and discretionary funds that are

primarily for salaries.

This new system is meant to provide greater accountability to the

taxpayers of Newport-Mesa.

“It’s the first time that I think the budget clearly outlines what the

district is all about,” said trustee Martha Fluor. “For everything, it

attaches a rationale.”

For the first time ever, the district mapped out goals and priorities

before planning the budget.

Historically, the district has its goal-setting sessions in the fall

after the budget has been completed, said Mike Fine, assistant

superintendent of business services.

The school board then adjusts the already existing budget to free up

money to accomplish the goals that are set. But this year the district

held its goal-setting session back in March to begin the process of

aligning the goals with the budget prior to its approval.

By setting goals and refining them first, each department planned its

budget according to the goals that are to be accomplished during the

year.