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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 11, 1995                   TAG: 9501120024
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

CUTS TURN BOARD INTO SCROOGE

Gov. George Allen's proposed cuts in state school funds are large, but they show up in small items that affect real people.

Consider the Patrick Henry High School band. The band's 20-year-old uniforms are falling apart.

For years, band boosters have sold doughnuts and oranges to help buy instruments, pay for trips, repair equipment and cover dozens of other expenses to keep the band going.

But the boosters told the Roanoke School Board on Tuesday night that they have run out of money and need $20,000 to buy 100 new uniforms.

Another group also appealed to the School Board.

Supporters of the chess program asked for $10,000 to help send students to national tournaments this year, and another $10,000 for next year's program.

Both groups may be disappointed.

Chairman Nelson Harris said the requests come at a time when the board is facing a financial bind.

School funds will be reduced by nearly $500,000 next year and up to $3 million a year after five years if Allen's proposal to phase out the business and professional license tax is approved.

Harris told the band and chess supporters that they should help school officials protest the cuts.

``We must let the governor know that we need more money for the schools and money is needed for something other than prisons,'' Harris said. ``This will have a devastating impact on education.''

In the past, Harris said, the board sometimes was able to provide help on similar requests, but the financial situation is different now.

Superintendent Wayne Harris said administrators already have imposed restrictions to avoid any unnecessary expenses.

``These cuts are the just the tip of the iceberg. We could lose up to $3 million a year,'' Wayne Harris said. All nonessential travel for school officials has been halted, and other steps have been taken to curb spending, he said.

Richard Kelley, assistant superintendent for operations, will spend more time than usual during the General Assembly session monitoring bills with financial implications.

City schools face the loss of $256,000 for a dropout prevention program, $21,500 for a project to teach English as a second language and $38,000 for school maintenance.

by CNB