SGA approves budget with little opposition

Clubs at Lyndon State College now know what their budgets will be for the next academic year, after the Student Government Association voted to approve what the finance committee suggested.

Before the vote took place, President John Kleinhans explained that the new procedure this year seemed to work well, and he hoped the SGA would approve. While presenting each club with proposals, the SGA had few questions.

"I think this is the best budget we can get. It keeps everyone level-funded," he said. "I would hate to see it go into a bloody war like we've had in the past."

If the budget had not passed, the SGA would then begin phase one of the original way of budgeting, which in the past has gone late into the night several weeks in a row. In order for the budget to pass, two-thirds of the SGA body had to approve. Because the constitution does not currently state otherwise, the elected representatives that made up the finance committee were able to vote as well, despite the fact they created the proposed budget.

The proposed budget was approved with a 42-4 vote, with Kleinhans releasing the secret ballot results, something that isn't usually done. However, before the vote took place representatives questioned what the ‘magic number' is.

"The magic number is completely hidden, unfortunately," Kleinhans said.

"Weren't you just talking about transparency?" LSC Ski and Ride club president Sam Pierog asked.

"The reason that the magic number is not open and given is because people cut to make cuts to get right to that number," Kleinhans said. "But there's a constitution committee being formed next week."

The Outing club suffered the largest cuts to its proposed budget, receiving $4000 of its requested $11,780.

In second place for biggest cuts was the LSC Ski and Ride club, with a total of $5750 being taken off its requested $8100.

Other large cuts included the American Meteorological Society & National Weather Association, which lost $3700, the Spirit Squad, which lost $885, the Alliance for Women in Media, which lost $2000, and the Strikers, which lost $2400.

The ‘magic number' for the next year is $120,000, Kleinhans announced at the end of Wednesday night's meeting.

Kleinhans said the executive board is working toward a more open form of communication regarding secret ballot numbers, and that by releasing the results at this meeting, it sets a precedent for the future.