Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 3, 1991 TAG: 9103030222
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
But county officials may have to raise the real estate tax by as much as 5 cents to balance the $58 million total budget for 1991-92.
The Board of Supervisors had questioned whether another $500,000 might be cut from the school budget. But at a meeting between the supervisors and the School Board Saturday, Superintendent Harold Dodge and School Board members apparently fended off further cuts.
"We, as board members, were appointed to improve the educational system," School Board Vice Chairman Robert Goncz told the supervisors. "What I see here is a system that's going to remain status quo at best," he said.
The school budget is $427,698 less than the current year's budget and roughly $3 million less than what school officials said they really need in the coming year. Although the supervisors apparently will not pare the school budget any further, they will not be allowing the schools any bonus money from the state.
After the workshop, the supervisors were set to put the final touches on the new budget. They plan to meet Wednesday night to do that and set a tax rate to fund it.
The supervisors must act on the budget Wednesday if they are to make the advertisement deadline for a county budget hearing 7 p.m. March 21 at Christiansburg High School.
To balance the budget, the board may have to raise the real estate tax rate between 3 and 5 cents. Last year's tax rate was 81 cents per $100 of assessed value, but to adjust for last year's reassessment, the rate must by law come down to 67.5 cents. Any rate increase would be added to that reduced figure.
Supervisors tentatively agreed that if more money than expected is appropriated by the state as the result of General Assembly action, that money will be used to reduce the local share of the school budget. The local money would be transferred to the county's general fund, where any extra money would be eagerly received.
The budget passed by the legislature contains more school money than Gov. Douglas Wilder originally proposed. For Montgomery County, that could mean $505,160 over what school officials had been counting on.
How much the county gets depends on what action Wilder takes on the budget bill. Wilder could veto the budget or suggest amendments.
The board has completed its preliminary review of the budget, of which about 74 percent goes for schools. The budget reflects cuts in state funding to localities and the weakened economy, and is about $3.5 million less than county departments requested at the start of budget planning.
County Administrator Betty Thomas told the supervisors that the state will reduce aid to the county's commissioner of revenue, treasurer, commonwealth's attorney and sheriff by a total of $101,424 below the current year's funding. Eight sheriff's deputy positions are also in jeopardy, which would amount to a loss of another $164,000, she said.
On top of that, Dodge warned the supervisors Saturday that the School Board might not be able to come up with a $275,000 surplus it had promised to return to the county at the end of this school year, because a drop in sales tax collections allocated to schools may eat up all that money and more.
by CNB