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Catholic board searching for ways to save cash by Tim Whitnell Metroland West Media 15 | Thursday, June 6, 2013 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com The Halton Catholic District School Board is projecting a deficit between $1.5 million and $2.5M as deliberations continue on its 2013-14 budget. Despite an expected increase in revenue for the next school year, expenses are outpacing financial gains so the board must find ways to trim costs. Ontario school boards are mandated by law either to pass a balanced budget or one that is considered `compliant' -- the latter meaning a budget that has no more than one per cent in spending beyond a balanced budget. The board's total revenue for 2013-14, the vast majority of it coming through Ministry of Education pupil and capital funding grants, is projected to be $331.4 million, a $10.4 million or 3.2 per cent increase over the previous year. Projected expenses for next year are $332.9M -- an $11.9 million or 3.7 per cent hike. Board staff say the increase is mainly from increases in salaries related to the expansion of the Full Day Kindergarten program and the opening of new schools, but also line items like utilities and transportation costs. The major portion of a school board's overall expenses are staff salaries and benefits. Stacey Zucker, the board's financial services senior administrator, told trustees at a recent board meeting the projected deficit range is a worst-case scenario. Zucker said the 2013-14 projected budget deficit could be as low as $1.5 million if $1 million in new initiatives are not included. Senior staff are now re-considering the initiatives, which were not detailed in the board meeting report. There are other ways to mitigate the deficit, said Zucker, suggesting a possible combination of cuts to services like deferring building maintenance, spending reductions, not filling vacant jobs, redeploying staff to minimize hiring or using reserve funds. The board's reserve fund is projected to have about a $1 million surplus by the end of the 2012-13 budget year. "Last year's budget was a compliant budget; we are expected to use some of our reserves from 2012-13," to reduce that deficit, said Zucker. "We are usually very conservative in our budgeting," she said. "It's only in the last couple of years we've had (to go with) compliant budgets." Advertorial How Do I Know For Sure? I Might Need a Hearing Device ­ CORNER HEARING SCIENCES is 100% Canadian, privately owned and operated since 2002. We have 8 locations to serve you better. We offer home visits, evening hours and payments plans for your convenience. HEARING MYTH Hearing instruments are not for me. Not yet, anyway. r %PZPVIBWFUPUVSOVQUIFWPMVNF POUIF57PSSBEJP r %PZPVà OEJUIBSEUPIFBSDMFBSMZ POUIFUFMFQIPOF r %PZPVà OEJUIBSEUPIFBSJOOPJTZ FOWJSPONFOUTMJLFJOUIFTUSFFUPSJOBDBS r %PZPVUFOEUPMJNJUZPVSTPDJBMBDUJWJUJFTCFDBVTF JUTEJGGJDVMUUPIFBSBOEDPNNVOJDBUF r %PGBNJMZGSJFOETPSDPMMFBHVFTNFOUJPOUIBU UIFZPGUFOIBWFUPSFQFBUUIFNTFMWFT Janice Cockburn, Au.D., Reg. CASLPO, Doctor of Audiology, Magda Zielinski, H.I.S., Hearing Instrument Specialist & R.D. Branton, H.I.S., Hearing Instrument Specialist )PXBSFXFEJGGFSFOU 95% of our patients are referred by family members and friends. Find out why! People who believe they have only slightly impaired hearing often make the mistake of thinking that they don't have much to gain from a hearing instrument. It's a shame, because they waste years of their lives coping and adapting, and missing out on the joy of being more fully engaged with family, friends and colleagues. Today, nearly half of people over the age of 50 have difficulty understanding what people say when it is noisy. There may already be signs that your hearing has deteriorated signi cantly. Here are some indications of hearing loss ­ the presence of even one sign could mean that you would bene t from hearing devices: r %PQFPQMFTFFNUPCFNVNCMJOH r %PZPVIBWFUPTUSBJOUPIFBSXIFO TPNFPOFUBMLTPSXIJTQFST r %PZPVIBWFEJGGJDVMUJFTIFBSJOHTPNFPOFDBMM ZPVGSPNCFIJOEPSGSPNBOPUIFSSPPN DID YOU KNOW? %JEZPVLOPXUIBUOPJTF induced hearing loss cannot CFSFWFSTFE )PXFWFSCZ recognizing the risks and taking the right precautions you can prevent any further damage. CALL TODAY to book your (Age 55+) So, what is the risk in waiting to have your IFBSJOHDIFDLFE :PVSIFBSJOHMPTTXJMMMJLFMZ worsen and you'll retreat from the activities you love. The consequences can be devastating, but the solution is remarkably simple. Come to Hearing Sciences for a hearing evaluation, and try Oticon Alta risk free. The only way to understand what you're missing is to try these state-of-the art hearing instruments in your own home, your own office and your own daily life. Please look for the third installment of Hearing Corner on August 8th. We will discuss when you should seek help. Is there a risk to XBJUJOHUPIBWFZPVSIFBSJOHUFTUFE COMPLIMENTARY HEARING TEST 905-465-3277 (EARS) .BSJOF%SOAKVILLE r (Bronte & Lakeshore)