With Gateway School District residents facing property tax millage increases, building administrators presented ideas to whittle expenses at their respective schools.

On Monday, principals from each of Gateway's eight schools announced proposed budget reductions to district officials and the school board at the first of four budget meetings in the high school.

The district's $72.55 million preliminary general fund budget would increase last year's expenditures by $823,712 and raise real estate taxes by 1.68 mills to 21.09.

With anticipated cuts in state and federal aid totaling more than $2.5 million, the preliminary budget cuts expected expenditures for elementary and secondary special programs, but increases estimates for support services, noninstructional services and total instruction costs.

The budget also calls for a transfer of $300,000 from the district's fund balance to its capital reserve fund.

Principals said they made budget cuts ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 per building, mostly by cutting supply costs, but were forced to tap into funds budgeted for libraries, as well as some music, learning and incentive programs.

High school principal Peter Murphy said he cut the budget there "10 percent across the board," except in the school's music program. He also said he cut the social studies program budget by 9 percent.

Moss Side Middle School principal Dr. Linda Echard said she cut $5,000 from that school's budget, including $1,500 from the library.

"We will be ordering a little less and will be cutting down in replenishing our book collection," she said.

"This is the first year I've cut the library. I always try to dedicate that as an area where I did not [cut], and hopefully next year I won't cut from that area."

School Director Dawn Neilly encouraged administrators to carefully consider library cuts before making them permanent.

"I ask that you all be very conscientious when you cut library. That makes me very nervous because I know what we have in our reading program."

Principal Carolyn Hankinson of University Park Elementary said her budget cuts affected mostly "general supplies," but also hit "physical education, art and the library."

She said the school uses a shared district library and replenishes its books through book fairs and efforts made by the PTO. But with the school ineligible for Title I funding, she noted it would need every dime it gets. Title I provides federal funds to schools with high percentages of poor students.

"I believe we are the only elementary that is not a title school, so we're not eligible for any title money or anything that may come through," she said. "What we have here is our budget."

Madeline Havrilla, of Monroeville, parent of two Gateway High School students, said the budget discussion was "worthwhile," but requested that the board share updated packets of information with the public during meetings.

Board member Joseph Wightkin said the updated information was held back so that residents didn't jump to conclusions based on what were still preliminary figures. The board, however, agreed to release packages of updated information for the public to view during its upcoming meetings.

The district will hold budget hearings regarding the cafeteria fund, athletic fund and capital reserve fund on April 12, May 3 and June 14. Those meetings will begin at 6:30 p.m in the high school's LGI room.

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