Creating the best mix of programs with less money to work with
It seems like a no-brainer to predict that most school-district budgets are going to take a big hit because of the effects of COVID-19 on the economy. How much less money is anybody’s guess at this point, but cuts and belt-tightening seem inevitable. Cities are facing much the same scenario: local tax revenues are plummeting, and budget cuts are the order of the day.
Thus, the two big questions facing community education and recreation programs now are:
- How many people will show up when “live” programs and services are offered again?
- How much will a department’s budget be cut?
These questions are related since departments depend, to some degree, on fees to fund programming; if participation drops, so will fee revenue.
