Province takes over Catholic school board
By LAVINIA KERR

Cuts to the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board's budgets will happen, with or without the board's participation.

Trustees decided Feb. 5 to remain stoic in their decision not to accept an invitation to participate in a provincially mandated co-management team.

With that decision made, provincially appointed chairperson of the co-management team, Norbert Hartmann, took over as supervisor of the finances, effectively removing the board from the decisionmaking process.

The embattled school trustees maintain they are not being defiant but are standing up for their beliefs.

"We have the unanimous support of parents," said Bruno Iannicca, who was elected chair of the board in December. "This board has worked hard to make cuts to reduce the deficit and now it's the Province's turn to address the fiscal imbalance."

The board has refused to budge from its position last year, under chairman Peter Ferreira, who said the budget deficit for 2006-07, currently estimated at $2.5 million, is a result of chronic underfunding by the province.

"To be a part of the comanagement team is an invitation to put our hands on the

An Evening axe that will make the cuts," Iannicca added.

The board raised concerns in 2005 when it estimated a deficit of $17 million and said the problem was systemic, one that the province had created by ignoring a flawed funding formula for years in the area of transportation, salaries and special education.

In November, then Education minister Gerard Kennedy went on record terming the board's budget problems as "not a funding issue but a management issue."

The board continued to make adjustments to its initial estimate and by December 2005, the deficit was reduced to an expected $15.1 million. At that time, the board initiated the help of parents and a postcard campaign was launched urging the province to increase funding.

The Ministry of Education's response to the public campaign was to agree to a joint working group to help the board find a solution. In February 2006, talks ended abruptly when the minister appointed an outside investigator who released a 43-page report in April, estimating the budget deficit at $11 million and including recommendations to further reduce the number.

Under the direction of then Minister Sandra Pupatello, the board accepted a ministry-appointed special advisor, Peter Lauwers, who worked with the board over the summer to try to find a solution.

Throughout the process the board maintained that through a series of cost-saving measures it had reduced the deficit to approximately $7.4 million and any further cuts would impact students directly.

The McGuinty government's position on the board's budget woes has consistently ben that the government has improved funding for education. As an example, in July it had increased funding by 3.75 per cent for the 2006-07 budget.

By October, and with Kathleen Wynne in the education portfolio, the government announced it was temporarily taking over supervision of the school board's spending and appointed a co-management team headed by Hartmann who was directed to make the cuts required to balance the budget.

The board remained steadfast and rejected two options presented that outlined plans for further cuts to establish a balanced budget. It continued its refusal the first week of February, losing financial control of the budget and bracing for further cuts.

In a letter sent to Minister Wynne after the meeting, Hartmann said he was "extremely disappointed that the trustees chose to reject an offer to restore financial decision-making power to the board. ... This rejection comes after many attempts by the government to assist the board in establishing the conditions for a stable financial future."

In response Feb. 5, Iannicca said Hartmann "has outlined a plan that will balance our budget, but at what cost? Cuts to service, people and programs. Can anyone say Common Sense Revolution?

"We're not here to win a popularity contest with the ministry, to make it easier for the government in the next provincial election, or to win favour in newspaper editorials. We're here tonight to represent our Catholic ratepayers, students and employees."

In a subsequent telephone interview, Iannicca said the board was now in a wait-and-see position but it was clear the province would be implementing cuts.

"The impact is going to be felt in the classroom."

Feb. 6, NDP Leader Howard Hampton released a letter he had sent to the trustees expressing "my solidarity with you, and to all of the democratically elected trustees of the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board, who Dalton McGuinty has removed from office to force cuts in your local classrooms.

"The people of your community elected you to stand up for students and you have done so," he wrote.

"Sadly, Dalton McGuinty has failed students in your community. Four years ago, Mr. McGuinty promised to fix the education funding formula, end classroom cuts and respect democratically elected trustees. He's broken all those promises, and it's students in your community that are paying the price - in the form of cuts to programs for struggling students, school cleaning budgets and continuing education."

The NDP leader said students and parents have had enough cuts. "They elected you to look out for students' best interests and you have done your job. You have refused to do the dirty work of a government that has broken its promise to students.

"Ontario's NDP is behind you every step of the way. I am confident that in the weeks ahead you will receive much more support from other concerned Ontarians."