THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 12, 1995 TAG: 9511110158
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Medium: 90 lines
I have been reading The Beacon's series of articles and editorials over the last several months pertaining to the funding shortfalls of the school system. I stress that these are my only sources of information. I have intentionally avoided conversations with members of the School Board and the administration on the specifics of the matter.
As a former School Board member, I was proud of our reputation for fiscal integrity. Reputation is such a hard thing to gain and is so easy to lose. I would like to offer several insights that might be useful in understanding the situation and, perhaps, the proper resolution.
The shortfalls are a recent phenomenon. They did not occur prior to the '93-'94 school year. On the contrary, in previous years, there were always end-of-year funds; that is, a little money left over - in the vicinity of $2 million to $3 million each year. In spite of all the present rhetoric, City Council, to its credit, allowed the school system to spend these funds on non-recurring programs, such as elementary schools air-conditioning, buses and computers. Savings were applied to school needs. I know of only one instance where money actually reverted to the city.
One essential policy was that end-of-year funds were not to be obligated until the year was over, the numbers were firm and Council approved.
This present situation is a real tragedy, but it needs to be put into some context. Virginia Beach spends $4,328 per pupil per year. The state average is $5,201. If you multiply the difference ($873) by our number of students (72,200), you get the astonishing number of $65,600,000. If you use the state average as a reasonable benchmark, Virginia Beach schools are underfunded by that amount, all of which would be local funds. It is interesting to note that this amount is significantly more than the present shortfall.
Sid Faucette used to say that Virginia Beach was the best cheap school system in the United States. I agree with that assessment. Faucette was trying to make a great school system out of a good one, but he didn't have the money. He was responding to the demands of the School Board and the public, which had a champagne taste on a beer budget.
His error was not telling people that the money was simply not available. He thought that he could find a way. He was wrong and deserves whatever criticism is due him for bad budgeting and misleading the public, even though his intentions and initiatives to improve the school system were basically correct.
I believe that there is actually a larger issue. It is inconceivable to me that most, if not all, senior members of the administration were not fully aware of what was going on but did and said nothing.
I would also offer that the School Board members, both present and recent former members, had a legal and moral responsibility to know what was going on. The most distasteful aspect of the entire affair is that these people are now piling on Faucette and Mort Smith in order to obfuscate and conceal their own errors. The surprise and outrage now being expressed by them is disingenuous.
It is not enough for the present board and administration to say that they will fix the future situation and leave it at that. I hope someone, somehow, will identify all the responsible parties and take appropriate action.
On a related matter, how in the world is the school system going to pay back the $12 million that the city is lending them to cover '94-'95? Do they high-ball future budgets so that there is money left over? Do they decrement needed educational funds? This is utter hypocrisy, especially in view of the local funding effort shortfall described above.
Jerry Gibbs
Pinewood Road
Where is public outcry over school funds fiasco?
I read the letter ``Business fed up with illegal competitors'' (Beacon, Oct. 27) letter with interest and I agree with Joseph A. Sansone 100 percent. In the past year there have been a number of similar articles and letters on the same subject. It is a matter of concern.
However, what troubles me is the school-budget fiasco. Putting things in the proper prospective, the school budget fiasco is probably costing the citizens of Virginia Beach a thousand times the loss of revenue that the non-licensed contractors and lawn-maintenance people are costing them. So my question is: Where is the outcry from the citizens over such a mishandling of public funds? Where was the city manager when this was happening? Where was the oversight by City Council? What was the School Board thinking of at the time? Where are the demands for action by the citizens?
I feel this is a far more serious matter. In the budget fiasco elected and appointed officials have violated public trust and someone should be held accountable.
R. A. Remington
Virginia Beach MEMO: Mr. Gibbs served on the Virginia Beach School Board from Jan. 1, 1987,
through Dec. 21, 1992.
by CNB