Meeting held to discuss MPS proposed budget

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The MPS Committee on Strategic Planning and Budgets met on Thursday evening to address the proposed MPS budget.

The current proposal includes a 5% funding cut across the board to schools and a %15 cut to the central office.

The amendments range in size and scope, from saving over $143,000 at the low end to more than $9 million on the high end.

Cuts proposed have angered many teachers. At the meeting, people with MPS say one of their biggest challenges is keeping employees.

"Currently we are facing less than a 5% unemployment rate nationwide and a less than 3% rate in the state of Wisconsin which is making it more challenging for our talented staff to recruit," said Himanshu Parikh, Chief Human Resources Officer of Milwaukee Public Schools.

Multiple board members have said that they'd like to reestablish the policy of providing health insurance for substitute teachers. The benefit was changed in 2012.