By CATHY DYSON
School supporters packed the King George County board room Tuesday night as the majority of speakers chastised supervisors for not giving schools more money in recent years.
"While our schools have been struggling, our county coffers have grown," said Kathy Heil, co-president of the King George Education Association. "You need to stop shortchanging our students. They deserve so much more, especially when the county can afford it."
She was one of 26 people--of nearly 90 in attendance--who spoke at public hearings on the county's tax rate and proposed budget. Heil also was one of several speakers who referred to the county's general reserve fund, which totals more than $21 million.
Last week, Supervisor Cedell Brooks Jr. told fellow members he wanted to take about $1 million out of reserves and give it to schools. Two supervisors--James Mullen and John LoBuglio--agreed, forming a majority.
The three support fully funding the school proposal of $34 million. The county's total proposed budget is $61.7 million.
Speakers urged the board to go through with the plan to use reserves for school funding. Others said they also would absorb a tax rate as well.
"I'm willing to dig a little bit deeper and pay more taxes so we can support the kids of this county at the level they need to be supported," said resident Tom Bewick.
No further digging will be necessary.
Supervisors broke the public hearing into two phases: the tax rate, then the proposed budget.
Five people spoke about the tax rate, and then the board voted.
Supervisors approved changing the rate from 45 cents to 50 cents per $100 of real estate value. The new amount equalizes rates after the county's recent reassessment and was needed to generate the same revenue as before the reassessment, according to county staff.
After the board approved the new rate, it asked for public comment on the proposed budget.
Some residents said that didn't make sense.
"You just painted yourself into a corner," said J.D. Martin. "If you need more money, you got no place to go except your reserves."
Speakers cited a number of statistics, from the starting pay of teachers to how much the county spends on education, as well as the increasing cost of health insurance and the expense of housing jail inmates.
"This isn't about money; it's about excellence," said Norman Connor, who has lived in King George since 1998. "We have excellent teachers. Why are we not supporting them with our tax dollars?"
The supervisors took comments for 75 minutes, then spent almost 25 minutes making their points.
They didn't vote on the budget; they'll finalize it on April 28, during a 5 p.m. meeting in the board room.
Brooks repeated his plan to take money from reserves, and Mullen and LoBuglio concurred. Brooks and Lo-Buglio stressed that dipping into reserves won't become a habit.
Chairman Dale Sisson Jr. clarified one point after another raised by citizens. He said he was amazed at the personal attacks during budget season. When a speaker said Sisson gets free membership to the King George YMCA because he serves on the board, Sisson said that wasn't true.
"I donate a lot of my time and my own money to the YMCA," Sisson said, his voice raising. "I support it for a number of reasons."
Brooks has brought up the YMCA reference several times recently. He wondered why fellow members made such a big deal about his proposal to use reserve money, when no one on the board flinched when the county took $4.5 million out of the same fund for the new YMCA.
Sisson also said he resented the way the quality of education seems to "get trashed" during public hearings, "and that's just not true." He implored citizens to recognize the extreme challenges the board faced.
And he reminded the many teachers in the audience that they weren't the only ones who hadn't had a raise for two years. County employees didn't get increases, either.
Supervisor Joe Grzeika told the crowd that their complaints should be directed to School Board members because they decide how money is spent, whether it's on health insurance plans or the level of field maintenance.
He reminded the audience that the school system has turned money back to the county each year, when that money could have been spent on what people are now describing as dire needs.
"I'm sorry, but you haven't proven there's a real need [for full funding]," Grzeika said. "I'm not OK with blanketly throwing money at a system that hasn't proven it knows how to spend it.
Cathy Dyson: 540/374-5425
Email: cdyson@freelancestar.com