
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 21, 1991                   TAG: 9103220866
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: W-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Charles Stebbins
DATELINE: NEW CASTLE                                LENGTH: Short

CRAIG SCHOOLS GIVEN LITTLE HOPE OF ADDITIONAL COUNTY FUNDING

Craig County school officials received little hope Tuesday when they asked the county Board of Supervisors for $25,000 more in local funds.

School officials, in their request during a joint meeting with the supervisors, said the funds are needed so additional cuts will not have to be made to the education budget for next fiscal year.

The school system is proposing a budget that is smaller than the one for the current fiscal year - $2,826,429 compared with the present $2,880,991.

Zane M. Jones, chairman of the supervisors, said he did not see how more money for the schools could be found without raising taxes, which many Craig residents oppose.

The current real-estate tax rate of 70 cents per $100 of assessed value increased from the 65-cent rate for 1989-90.

Several citizens, who attended the meeting, however, said they favor a tax increase to benefit the schools.

But the supervisors said they believe a majority of the people throughout the county are against an increase.

The supervisors will not start formulating the county budget until April 8. They also have set meetings on April 10 and 23 for budget studies.

The county's overall budget, which will be adopted in June, will incorporate the school budget.

School officials say they hope the supervisors can make up for some of the money the schools lost because of massive spending cuts by the state and federal governments.

by CNB