Diocese Reduces Sacred Heart - St. John School Subsidy Assessment by Nearly $105,000

Score a Victory for Sacred Heart Wilkes Barre Foundation

In the June 8, 2008 Church Bulletin, Sacred Heart - St. John  Parish announced the following diocesan assessments for the coming 2008-2009 fiscal year, in comparison to the prior 2007-2008 fiscal year:

	2007 - 2008	2008 - 2009
Parish Assessment	$  21,782	$  17,801
Clergy Care/Wellness	$    3,911	$    3,318
Self Insurance	$  28,242	$  28,281
Clergy Pension	$    6,000	$    6,000
Clergy Blue Cross	$  11,130	$  11,381
Post Retirement	$    4,000	$    4,000
School Assessment	$232,144	$127,399

As can be seen, there is a significant change is the school assessment charged by the diocese to subsidize and support catholic education in the diocese. The new assessment of $127,399 is $104,745 lower than the $232,144 assessment for 2007-2008, and $187,819 lower than the $315,218 school subsidy expense incurred in 2006-2007  

Fiscal Year	2006 - 2007
Total Income	$  509,371
School Subsidy Expense	$  315,218
Net Loss	$  (92,080)
Fiscal Year	2006 - 2007	2008 - 2009	Reduction
School Subsidy Expense/Assessment	$ 315,218	$ 127,399	$ 187,819
Net Loss in 2006 - 2007	$  (92,080)
Reduction in School Assessment	$ 187,819
Projected Income for 2008 - 2009	$   95,719

 

As can be seen, the $187,819 reduction in school subsidy assessment can reverse the $92,080 net loss (expenses over income) in 2006 - 2007 to a projected income (incomes over expenses) of $95,719.  This is a far cry from the dire financial forecasts parishioners heard from the pulpit less than a year ago.

It was only through the analysis, diligence and persistence of Anthony and Noreen Foti, with the support of the Sacred Heart Wilkes-Barre Foundation, that the assessments have been corrected.  The links on the left will provide additional information regarding the inequity and unfairness of the prior year assessment, and the efforts to remedy this.