Inflated budget?

Your article on the FY2019 BPS budget states that the budget increased 4.4 percent from FY2018. That percentage is accurate if the comparison is with the proposed FY2018 budget approved initially by School Committee. That percentage is overstated if the comparison is with the current FY2018 appropriation from the City. The increase from current appropriation is only $16.6 million or 1.5 percent. School Committee President Michael O’Neill highlighted this point in his questions during the budget presentation.

In past years BPS has computed proposed budget increases from current year appropriation, rather than prior year approved budget. This year BPS and the City are attempting to

inflate the increase by using the comparison with prior year approved budget. Last year they attempted to inflate the increase by including the $20 million reserve in the proposed FY2018 budget. That same reserve (with an additional $11 million City appropriation) is now in the claimed 4.4 percent.

— George