Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 28, 1990 TAG: 9003280445
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: BEDFORD/FRANKLIN
SOURCE: MONICA DAVEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BEDFORD LENGTH: Medium
The supervisors should approve the increase for education even if it means a property tax increase, many speakers told the board at a public hearing on the county's proposed $52.9 million 1990-91 budget.
All but one of those who spoke said the county's school system needs all of its $36 million budget request, which includes an 11 percent increase in total spending, about 22 percent more in local money than this year and 5 percent raises for teachers.
One parent warned the supervisors that the education funds were needed for children in the county - and across the country - to keep up with foreign competition in the job market. Another parent reminded the board of President Bush's pledge to make education a top priority. Bedford County should do the same, she said.
Some of the parents and teachers described damage caused by cuts to the School Board's budget in the past two years. Cutbacks in teacher aides and instructional materials create a "ripple effect" to all students in a school, parent Betsy Smith told the supervisors.
Ron Lovelace, another parent who supported the schools' spending proposal, told the supervisors: "If it requires a tax increase, fine. Let's pay for the education of our children." Lovelace's speech, like the rest, got applause from the crowd in the courthouse.
Supervisors have advertised a 2-cent increase in the real estate tax rate to pay for some of the proposed increases in spending. When they approve the budget April 4, they can approve a rate up to that new 62 cent per $100 assessed valuation, but can go no higher.
That increase, which would for example mean $10 more for the owner of a $50,000 house, would bring the county about $337,000 more in funds next year. Even with that increase, though, the county would be dipping into a one-time windfall of funds it expects to get next year.
The county would have an estimated $4 million more than usual to spend because it will start this year collecting real estate taxes twice annually, in June and again in December. So this year - and this year only - it will collect taxes three times.
Under the proposed budget that includes no cuts to the schools budget, the county would dig into that $4 million by about $578,000, board Chairman A.A. "Gus" Saarnijoki said Tuesday night. In work sessions, some supervisors have said they felt uncomfortable spending money from a pot they will not have in future years.
Again Tuesday, Saarnijoki said the supervisors still hope to end up with a "reasonable and realistic" budget without using up the one-time windfall. That would mean some large spending cuts by next Wednesday, when the budget is due for approval.
by CNB