With the recession hitting our pocketbooks and the nation’s deficit looming over us, awareness of our own state’s budget has increased significantly as of late.

The fact that the legislature is around $26 billion short has been well documented, and the budget axe will fall. Public education, the largest share of the state’s budget, is obviously the first to suffer losses.

Students, parents, tax payers, faculty and staff have made their concerns clear: How will these almost certain cuts be felt in TISD?

According to Superintendent John Neubauer, there won’t even be a scratch.

“I’m not going to cut any programs,” he said. “We may look at ways to run those programs in a more cost-efficient way. But no, we’re not cutting programs or people.”

In order to compensate for already reduced budgets due to the recession, surrounding school districts have been drastically limiting allowances for extra-curricular activities, laying off staff members and teachers, even closing campuses.

“What’s going on in other districts is not going on in Tomball, Texas,” Neubauer assured.

Teachers in surrounding districts, concerned for their livelihoods, have spread talk of ‘district-wide sick days’ to protest. Without enough teachers, their district would find itself at a standstill, all a protest against possible loss of income and jobs.

A teacher from a neighboring district was spotted recently wearing a t-shirt that read: “Save a teacher. Educate a politician.”

In Tomball, school activities and programs, fine arts in particular, worry that the budget cuts would affect the way they operate or even terminate them altogether. These programs received assurances from Neubauer during his interview with The Cougar Claw staff.

“Fine arts will not be cut,” Neubauer said with a reassuring smile.

Cutting budgets across the board, or shaving off a small percentage of every organization within the district, will dampen the impact enormously.

“I have three reporters from outside organizations that want me to give them a list of budget cuts,” Neubauer noted. “I’m not giving them budget cuts because we don’t have any.”

Tomball is currently in a safer position, but does not yet have the information to make an educated decision on the budget. Once the state finalizes a budget, then details can be worked out.

The district gets 40 percent of its revenue from the state, with the rest coming from local taxes. Districts in poorer areas of the state rely more heavily on the state, which means budget cuts are likely to hit the poorest areas most heavily.

According to Neubauer, Tomball, unlike other districts, employed the use of a “savings account” similar to the state’s “rainy day” fund that has and will continue to help cushion the affects of the recession and any budget cuts that may occur in the near future.

The extra cash, the district’s wise handling of stimulus money and a history of frugal spending will help the district weather the fiscal storm.