Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 9, 1992 TAG: 9201090470
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
DODGE SAYS NEXT MONTGOMERY SCHOOL BUDGET IN TROUBLE
Judging by the reaction of Montgomery County supervisors Wednesday, Superintendent Harold Dodge's proposed 1992-93 school budget already is in trouble.The Board of Supervisors cannot support large increases in the school budget with tax increases, considering the faltering economy, board Chairman Henry Jablonski said.
Dodge unveiled a budget proposal Tuesday night to the county School Board that calls for spending $47.9 million next year. That's an increase of $8.75 million or 22.3 percent over this year's school budget of $39.2 million.
A top priority in the budget is new money needed to open the Falling Branch Elementary School, roughly $600,000.
The School Board will begin its deliberations on Dodge's proposal during a special meeting next Tuesday night.
The proposed budget would require $24.7 million in county money, which is $6.4 million or 35 percent more than county taxpayers are contributing this year.
In December, County Administrator Betty Thomas told the supervisors that - based on current tax rates - county tax revenue is expected to grow by only 2.2 percent or $555,378 next year.
Jablonski said he understands the School Board's policy is to develop a budget based on what's needed to do the job. But he said he would prefer that the board look at both what it needs and how much money is available when it prepares its budget.
"It needs to be realistic in terms of the funds that are available," Jablonski said.
State law charges school boards to look after the educational needs of a community but makes it the responsibility of the local governing body - in this case the supervisors - to decide how much of those needs it can afford to pay for.
Supervisor Larry Linkous, who was elected in November to represent Blacksburg's District F, said it would be tough to come up with any extra money at all for the schools in the coming school year.
Supervisor Joe Stewart of Shawsville called Dodge's proposal "ridiculous." Stewart said part of the budget increase may be approved but said he doesn't believe the school system needs as much has been proposed.
Linkous, Jablonski and Supervisor Jim Moore of Blacksburg indicated some sympathy for proposed raises for school employees, whose salaries were frozen this year.
"I don't think we're going to have a heck of a lot of money this year, based on county projections," Moore said. But he said he would like to find the money for a "modest" increase for school employees. "I'd sure like to try."
Teachers would get raises averaging 16.7 percent under Dodge's proposal. The increase in salary and benefits for teachers would cost $3.95 million.
Total personnel costs covering teachers, administrators and support staff would increase by $5.06 million in the proposed budget. That would be roughly a 16 percent increase in employee costs overall. Typically, personnel costs are roughly 80 percent of a school budget.
Dodge pointed out that if the salary request for teachers is granted next year, the average yearly teacher salary in the county would be $31,556. That still would leave county teachers almost $4,000 behind the statewide average salary of $35,360, Dodge said.
Some of Dodge's other major budget initiatives would add: $1 million for 24 more teachers throughout the county; $300,000 for employee health insurance; $700,000 for 15 new buses ($200,000 if they are leased instead); and $190,000 for pupil supplies.
Other new funding would go toward dropout prevention, field trips, a fund for band uniform replacement on a 16-year cycle and additional elementary school guidance counselors.
During Tuesday night's budget presentation, Dodge lashed out at those who have charged that the county has shown favoritism toward Blacksburg-area schools. "I'm tired of the inequity question," he said.
Charges of favoritism were levied by some residents of the Shawsville and Riner areas who opposed the county's helping the Blacksburg High School band buy new uniforms.
Dodge made a point of showing how his budget protected the county's smaller schools from funding disparities. For instance, 262-pupil Belview Elementary will get $2,800 per pupil in his budget compared with the $2,629 per pupil going to the 555-pupil Margaret Beeks Elementary in Blacksburg.
***CORRECTION***
Published correction ran on January 10, 1991.
Because of a copy editor's error, a headline in Thursday's New River Current was wrong. The headline should have said that Montgomery County supervisors' reaction to school Superintendent Harold Dodge's proposed 1992-93 budget indicated that the budget was in trouble.
Memo: CORRECTION