MANCHESTER, N.H.- Superintendent of Schools Jennifer Chmiel recently met with members of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce for a roundtable discussion in which she urged business owners to advocate for adequate funding for city schools during this budget cycle, as the city and school budgets for the next fiscal year could increase by 3%.

During Friday’s discussion Chmiel shared the different scenarios the district is considering in order to achieve approximately $15 million in cuts which would be required in the event Aldermen approve a tax-cap compliant budget.

Chmiel explained that each of the scenarios, comes with layoffs, with the number ranging anywhere from 40 to 100 positions. Other options include a fee structure for student athletics, where those interested would have to “pay-to-play” along with bus fees for high school students, discontinuing bus service for those students who live within 2 miles of a school and increasing class sizes.

Last month the Board of School Committee voted to send three different budget requests to Alderman following budget talks this spring. The first would be a tax-cap compliant budget of $235,507,700, the second would be a baseline budget of $251,405,787 and the third would be a fully funded budget of $265,290,706.

With the city operating under a cap on property taxes, established by a voter-approved amendment to the city charter, otherwise known as a tax cap, the provision limits the amount of funding that could be raised from property taxes, rather than the tax rate itself.

Chmiel also said that the baseline budget reflects a level-funded budget with no reductions or additions, while a fully funded budge takes into consideration the restoration from a tax-cap-complaint budget to a level funded budget along with additions to staffing, operations and facilities.