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

DATE: THURSDAY, December 30, 1993                   TAG: 9312300168
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: ROBERT FREIS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD                                LENGTH: Medium

SCHOOL BOARD FINDS EXTRA REVENUE

Budget pressures on city schools have been eased considerably by a $380,000 holiday present from the state.

The Radford School Board learned Tuesday about the unexpected additional revenue, and immediately restored several previously eliminated programs to its 1994-95 budget.

Among the resurrected items were textbooks, a school nurse, supplemental athletic department funding and connection to the Southwest Virginia Education Telecommunications network.

The board also adjusted employee salary scales by adding a 1 percent pay hike for those with 12 years or less experience. This amount will be in addition to a 3 percent increase previously approved.

The additional state revenue also will allow the School Board to come much closer to budgetary guidelines set by council by reducing the city's share.

Council directed that city departmental funding increases should not be more than 1 percent over the current year's budget.

However, the $7.6 budget approved by the School Board Dec. 16 contained an increase of about 10 percent - even after critical educational programs were eliminated.

If fully funded, that budget would have required a real estate tax increase of about 10 cents per $100 assessed value.

School Board members were concerned that City Council would be unreceptive to a significant budget increase.

But a financial showdown was averted when Gov. Wilder released his proposed state budget Dec. 20.

Wilder's budget contained unanticipated increases in school financial aid to localities, salary enhancements and more money for programs such as special education.

By incorporating the additional revenue, the board will need much less money from the city to run Radford's school system in 1994-95.

School Board members will vote Jan. 6 on a revised budget that represents only a 2 percent increase, with $35,000 rather than $350,000 in new money from the city.

"It's excellent news," said Guy Gentry, city school board chairman. "It allows us to meet our budgetary goals without looking to the city for a huge increase in funding."

by CNB