While the Aspen School District will not go unscathed by the ongoing state budget crisis, the cuts it must make pale in comparison to those of its downvalley counterparts.
The reason has little to do with where the schools are located or how deep the pockets of its community. It has to do with the fact that Aspen voters overwhelmingly approved a mill-levy override in the November election, which puts $1.3 million into school coffers each year.
If not for this, district officials would be looking at slashing close to $1.5 million from next year’s budget.
“We cannot thank the community enough for their support in November,” said district finance director Kate Fuentes. “It was forward-thinking and we are definitely in a much healthier financial position because of it.”
According to district officials, the best-case scenario — if the deal passed 50-14 Thursday by the Colorado House of Representative is approved by the governor — means the district will have to whittle between $100,000 and $150,000 out of the 2011-12 budget.
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