County, school budgets show deficits
By Ruth Marlow
County and school officials continue to put together their respective fiscal 2009 budgets with their eyes on Richmond.
Preliminary figures show the bottom line in the red by hundreds of thousands of dollars for both the county government and its school system, members of finance committees for each group said late last week.
But much depends on the final version of the commonwealth’s budget, which was still in the process of being crafted by a General Assembly conference committee, both committees added, noting they hope to have a better idea within the next week of how much state revenue the county and the school system each could receive.
During a March 4 work session, county supervisors discussed the budget crunch and options for dealing with it. Especially worrisome, they said, is that state lawmakers might not finish their budget before the supervisors must approve a county budget.
“ That will make some of these issues more difficult,” Supervisor John Staelin (D-Millwood/Pine Grove), chairman of the board and its finance committee, said Tuesday after the board reviewed proposed revenues and expenses.
The Board of Supervisors’ finance committee has estimated a $643,101 deficit, primarily due to the expected cutbacks in state revenues and the need for the county to pick up a larger part of the tab for funding its schools. The committee earlier had thought the county could have a small surplus of $5,650 for fiscal 2009, which begins July 1.
But after reviewing the figures at last week’s finance meeting, Staelin said, “It’s not a great picture at the moment.”
“ We’re either going to have to raise taxes or make cuts,” said Supervisor A.R. “Pete” Dunning, Jr. (R-White Post).
Likening the bleak budget scenario to a wagon with wobbly wheels, Supervisor Barbara Byrd (I-Russell) said, “We just hope the little wheels don’t fall off.”
The county’s proposed budget includes a 2-cent hike in real estate taxes for calendar year 2008 and a 3-cent increase in 2009. Even with these, an additional tax increase could be needed if county and school spending cuts do not close the deficit gaps, an action both finance committees said they hope to avoid.
Supervisors said they hope to have a public hearing on the county budget and tax rate on April 8, but have not yet determined where that will take place. The preliminary overall fiscal 2009 budget is $39.1 million, compared with $38 million for the current year. It includes an additional deputy sheriff to enforce speed laws.
Meanwhile, the School Board’s finance committee plans to meet again on March 7 to continue working on ways to cut or defer spending to compensate for a potential $760,000 shortfall in state revenues. That estimate was derived by averaging the amount of reductions currently being proposed by the governor and state lawmakers, Joint Administrative Services Director Thomas Judge told the committee during its Feb. 29 meeting.
On Tuesday, Judge told supervisors, “The school numbers could potentially be affected dramatically by the actions of the General Assembly.”
The School Board is scheduled to adopt a budget on March 10 at a 7 p.m. meeting at Clarke County High School and to present that request to supervisors on March 11 at 7 p.m. at the county courthouse.
Acting Superintendent John Taylor’s overall proposed fiscal 2009 budget is nearly $25.4 million, compared with slightly more than $26 million during the current year.
In terms of county revenues, the superintendent’s proposal asks for $796,187 more in local funding for school operations than during the current year.
The school system needs to achieve cost savings and efficiency improvements by making permanent structural changes, said Robina Rich Bouffault (White Post District), chairman of the School Board and its finance committee.
“ I’m trying to free up a greater percentage of the budget to go into classroom instruction,” she said.
“We’re trying to protect the children’s education while being sensitive to the taxpayers’ needs as well,” Bouffault added.
Contact the reporter at rmarlow@timespapers.com