THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 5, 1996 TAG: 9604040131
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 17 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY ALETA PAYNE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 115 lines
While the city considers a 1996-97 proposed budget that would fund schools at historic levels, it would still provide less money per pupil than the state average for 1993-94.
At $386 million, the city's proposal is $15 million less than the division requested but almost $28 million more than the current year, an 8 percent increase. If approved at that rate, the division would spend about $5,000 per student next year compared with a state average two years ago of $5,314.
But school officials, while grateful for a proposed spending plan that will increase the local revenue share by almost 14 percent to $166.5 million, are not ready to settle for less than they came asking for in the first place, they said this week.
``I think (the city's) administration has been more than fair in their initial response,'' said Superintendent Timothy R. Jenney. ``That doesn't mean that I agree with them. I think they've tried to do the best that they can. That doesn't mean I won't ask for more.''
School administrators originally took a $392.4 million budget to the board in February with the bulk of new money going toward programs and positions underfunded in previous spending plans.
That proposal did not include $60 million in requests ranging from new microscopes for Open Campus - one of the district's alternative programs - to an additional security guard to additional computer equipment and software in a variety of departments within the division.
The board heard from parents, students and employees during two public hearings on the budget and added $8.5 million to the spending plan including:
A 2 percent salary increase for all employees, $6.1 million. That was in addition to a step increase for eligible employees already in the proposed budget.
Fifty additional students at Kemps Landing Magnet School, $134,500. That was in addition to 100 more included in the proposed plan.
Materials and supplies for new advanced English, math and science courses in the middle schools, $166,000.
School leaders described their proposal to the city as lean and with little in the way of innovation. Still, Jenney said contingency plans were being developed if reductions had to be made. He declined to say what areas might be considered.
The same groups who lobbied the School Board are likely to lobby City Council, but it appears unlikely that all will get what they want. Indeed, the end of the budget recommendation for schools included in the city's overall budget document warns that this year's proposed increase should not be considered precedent-setting, but reflects ``a desire by the City to place the School system on a sound financial footing, following several years of fiscal mismanagement.''
It goes on to suggest that ``resource intensive programs'' such as the middle school model, programs for gifted and talented students and special education model ``be vigorously reviewed by school administration prior to the next operating budget initiative.''
Educators traditionally bristle at budget administrators without education background making suggestions about school policy. Special education programs, while expensive, are in large part mandated by the federal government but bring with them little federal money.
For his part, Jenney said he plans to evaluate all the division's programs for efficiency and effectiveness, but also said ``there's no doubt'' that school leaders are more able to make such programmatic decisions than city officials. MEMO: GOALS OF THE CITY
At its annual retreat, the council developed 10 long-term goals for
the city. Below is a list of those goals and the spending proposed to
accomplish them:
Economic Vitality: Hire five new housing inspectors and provide
additional funding for homeowner repairs to improve maintenance and
stabilize neighborhood property values.
Safe Community: Hire 13 new police officers under a federal community
policing grant; six additional firefighters; begin building new police
and fire stations in the Beach Borough.
Stable City Finances with Services Driving Revenues: Maintain basic
city services; increase salaries for employees; buy new financial
accounting system to replace 18-year-old system.
Quality Education for Lifelong Learning: Begin work on Virginia Beach
higher education center; adequate funding to place the school system on
sound financial footing and to replace lost federal money.
Destination Point for Tourists: Expansion of the advertising budget;
Camp Pendleton site purchase to ensure continuation of Virginia Marine
Science Museum and other tourist draws; planned Red Wing Golf Course
expansion/renovation.
Quality Services to Support Urban Living: Replace outdated Social
Services building; complete Seatack Recreation center; renovate aging
city buildings.
Protection and Use of Natural Resources: Beach erosion and hurricane
protection project begins.
Active Citizen and Business Involvement as Partners with City
Government: Consolidate water, sewer and storm water bills with the
Hampton Roads Sanitation District; continue annual citizen survey.
Regional Cooperation in Marketing and Leadership: Continued funding
for regional agencies including the new Hampton Roads Partnership;
provide support for Pendleton Child Services in cooperation with
Chesapeake.
Mobility: Begin financial planning for the Southeastern Expressway,
now renamed Southeastern Parkway and Greenbelt; reduce backlog of
resurfacing and bridge construction projects; increase mass transit
funding 40 percent to make up for federal funding cuts.
Source: Budget presentation by E. Dean Block, director of Department of
Management Services
ILLUSTRATION: Photo
``I think (the city's) administration has been more than fair . . .
That doesn't mean that I agree with them. I think they've tried to
do the best that they can. That doesn't mean I won't ask for more.''
- Timothy Jenney
KEYWORDS: VIRGINIA BEACH CITY COUNCIL BUDGET by CNB