Hell must have frozen over Monday. The Dallas ISD announced it projects a $23 million budget surplus for the 2009-10 school year.
That’s somewhat akin to me paying my bills at the end of the month and realizing I still have, like, $200 left over, which likely would set off an Ice Age in Hades.
The end-of-year surplus means the Dallas ISD fund balance increases to a minimum of $60 million. This comes as a pretty radical about-face from just two years ago when the district looked a $64 million shortfall in the eyes.
According to the news release issued by DISD, the spare change stems from district CFO Larry Throm instituting “strict spending controls,” like, oh, keeping track of how much money’s been spent and limiting the use of district credit cards to district business.
The release also stated, “Throm said that he and his staff have spent considerable time realigning the district's financial coding structure so that it matches that of every other school district in the state.”
That’s probably a good idea because if you look up and realize you are doing something in a completely different manner from that of everyone else, you either are a genius or a fool. Based on recent past track records, I’m thinking DISD is not up for Mensa membership just yet.
And let’s not overlook the word “projected.” The money’s not in the bank just yet, and them chickens ain't hatched.
Bruce Felps owns and operates East Dallas Times, an online community news outlet serving the White Rock Lake area. Like he even has a budget to balance.
