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

DATE: MONDAY, December 13, 1993                   TAG: 9312130077
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-3   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: BRISTOL                                LENGTH: Short

SOUTHWEST SCHOOLS COUNT ON STATE AID

The state needs to make up the spending gap in far Southwest Virginia, where the localities have done all they can to fund education, some school officials say.

Dr. Jim Graham, superintendent of Wise County's schools, said he believes the county is making "a superhuman effort" in funding education, and he believes other regional localities are doing what they can.

"There's not that much here in Southwest Virginia, generally, to tax," he said. A large percentage of the county's revenues are used for education, making it more difficult for them to support other needs, such as solid waste, and fire and police protection.

What the state needs to do, Graham said, is admit there are some problems and that the poorer areas cannot afford to compete with the affluent ones. The current funding formula is entirely too complex and unrealistically low, he said.

Washington County Superintendent George Stainback said the disparity problem needs to be solved by the state because it has all the taxing authority. "The locality has only the taxing authority the state allows," he said, adding that most local revenue comes from property taxes.

by CNB