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Culpeper supervisors say they can't provide money that the school division wants Date published: 3/19/2008
BY DONNIE JOHNSTON
After hearing School Board Chairman George Dasher spend nearly two hours defending a $6.7 million FY-09 budget increase, Supervisor Tom Underwood was brutally honest. "Given the tax increase necessary relative to the current economic situation, I don't believe [$6.7 million] is affordable," Underwood said. "In fact, I don't think half that amount is affordable." Then Underwood asked Dasher, "Do you have a contingency plan for lower levels of funding?" "A lot of things are being explored," Dasher replied, "including the possibility of not opening one of the two new schools." The School Board's $75.7 million funding request came at the end of a long day for the Board of Supervisors, who yesterday spent eight straight hours listening to various county departments ask for money for next year. When it came to the school system, which consumes the lion's share of the county's budget, the supervisors were not in a very good mood. Supervisors Sue Hansohn and Steve Nixon reminded Dasher that the school system got almost $3 million in new money last year and they chose to give teachers and administrators an 8 percent to 10 percent raise. "You're coming in here and asking for $6.7 million when you could have used some of that money," Nixon said. "Why didn't you use that money wisely last year?" he asked, reminding the School Board chairman that his body knew a year ago that two new schools would be opening this year. Supervisor Larry Aylor followed suit, saying, "I don't think that [8 percent in raises] gives the kids a better education." Aylor also said he was tired of hearing "the School Board say that we have to compete with [school systems] up north." Nixon also said that he couldn't justify teachers getting a 1.5 percent step raise when all other county salaries were frozen. It was a long day for the supervisors. One after another the department heads, understanding that a $4 million county revenue shortfall this year will be as bad--if not worse--in FY-09, appeared at the budget work session and pleaded their cases, most knowing they would not get additional money. Human Services stands to come up almost $1 million short next year, which means that programs for the young, the old and the poor will likely either be reduced or eliminated. Branch reminded the supervisors that his office "deals with life or death situations." He added that being two road deputies short "is not a desirable position to be in." The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to hold a public hearing on its proposed $143 million FY-09 budget on Apr. 16. The Board would then adopt a budget and tax rate on Apr. 22. If the school system's $6.7 million additional funding is fully funded, the Culpeper County real estate tax rate would just jump by 12 to 14 cents (about 25 percent). Donnie Johnston:
1. Be respectful. No personal attacks.
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