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Out of the red, into the black

Lisa Scott
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (May 14/04) - Three years after facing a $1 million deficit, the public education district presented "a good news budget," according to superintendent Judith Knapp.

"We are out of the deficit, but we do need to be very careful," Knapp said at a board meeting Tuesday.

Yellowknife Education District No. 1 forecast a $866,233 surplus in the draft budget for 2004-2005.

In 2001 the district faced a $1.1 million deficit, but managed to halve that by 2003 with what Knapp called frugal spending across the district.

Decreased enrolment allowed the board to eliminate six teaching jobs this year, and cut $500,000 from the budget.

Special needs students moved out of the district and allowed the board to eliminate another position, saving another $50,000.

Despite the cuts to teaching positions, board chair Reanna Erasmus said she is not concerned about the quality of education.

"The reality is that there is X amount of dollars and we spend it wisely," Erasmus said.

The district plans to spend $22.6 million this year.

The board allocated $15.9 million for school programs, including teachers and staff; $2.6 million for special needs programs; and $2.5 million for operations and maintenance; $1.1 million for administration; and $437,921 for aboriginal programs.

Revenue is $23.1 million. Money from the territorial government accounts for 75 per cent of the total. Municipal property taxes kick in another 20 per cent.

The draft budget was approved and was submitted to the Education, Culture and Employment department.