DAYTON — A five-year financial forecast approved by the city school board assumes there will be no high school busing after June 30.

"If I would put it in the forecast, we couldn't afford it," Treasurer Stan Lucas said. "I couldn't certify this forecast."

High school busing cut by Dayton after the defeat of a 15.17-mill levy was revived when community concerns were raised about truancy and students congregating downtown for transfers on city bus routes.

In the end, Montgomery County, the city and the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority shared the $2 million cost of restoring busing for 5,600 public and charter high school students.

Board President Yvonne Isaacs said Tuesday, May 27, those groups will be asked about helping again with busing costs next year. She has no firm commitments.

"We cannot afford it and we are appealing to the community for help," Isaacs said. The district will finish the school year carrying over a slim $1.7 million to 2008-09, less than 1 percent of its spending. Three years ago, the district carried over $45 million, but much of that was spent following the levy defeat in 2007. Lucas said less than 5 percent is unusual for most organizations.

The district overspent its revenue this year by $27,000 on a core budget of $171.4 million. Lucas said Dayton benefited from additional state poverty aid to school districts, which brought an extra $4.8 million. Dayton spent about 78 percent of its budget on salaries and benefits and 14 percent on purchased services.

The forecast projects revenue to grow slightly over the next five years to about $181 million in 2012 for the core budget unless a levy is passed. Spending is projected to grow to about $185 million by 2012.

About $50 million in state aid was diverted to support 7,500 students attending charters and using vouchers.

Contact this reporter at selliott

@DaytonDailyNews.com or (937) 225-2485.

Vote for this story!