Mike:

Mary Canole and I were on the Program. Mary did an excellent job of
presenting the difficulties school superintendents were facing because most
of their time is taken by financial issues rather than educational issues
and the difficulties of preparing a school budget in May while revenues from
the State are not known until much later in the year. The broken promise of
the 5.5% property tax cap with 60% State funding (which has never
materialized)was also a major topic.

I chaired one of 8 round tables. My group developed 13 pages of areas where
Cities/schools and the State could more formally cooperate. The top three
areas were Information Technology, a State Constitutional Amendment
mandating a school foundation aid formula, a State-wide healthcare contract
SHARED between BC/BS and United HC and master collective bargaining
agreements on fringe benefits such as pensions and clear statutory language
on prohibited subjects of bargaining such as minimum staffing.

Jo Eva Gaines and David Gordon also participated in the Round Tables.

Thanks

Jim Smith