Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 5, 1991 TAG: 9103050373
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: BEDFORD/FRANKLIN
SOURCE: MONICA DAVEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BEDFORD LENGTH: Medium
When they started their 1991-92 budget work last month, the supervisors were trying to cope with a projected $2 million deficit, thanks to a decrease in state funds and an increase in proposed capital projects spending.
By Monday night, though, the supervisors agreed to look at some $1.7 million in cuts to spending, which would reduce the shortfall to about $321,000.
And they agreed to at least advertise - for purposes of a March 28 public hearing - a 6-cent increase on the current tax rate of 62 cents per $100 assessed value on real estate. Every penny added to the rate would bring in $161,000 in new revenues.
None of their proposals become final until April 8, when they will adopt a budget and pick their tax rates.
Among other spending cuts, the board agreed to consider cutting $710,448 from the School Board's recommended $36.6 million budget.
That, the supervisors said, would mean school system employees would not receive a 2.5 percent salary increase that was part of the School Board's budget. Because county employees will not get pay increases next year, school employees should not either, the supervisors have said.
Though School Superintendent John Kent has strongly urged the supervisors to keep the raises in the budget, most School Board members will support cutting the raises, one supervisor said Monday night.
"I have talked to some of the School Board members, and I think they concur with us wholeheartedly," supervisor Tony Ware said.
"The votes are there to cut the salaries," Ware said. Kent, he said, "is out on a limb without his own board."
The suggested cut would mean a $630,000 reduction in the county's spending on schools. The rest of the $710,448 in proposed cuts to the schools would come out of Bedford's spending plan because the city shares its education costs with the county through a contract.
In other suggested cuts, the supervisors dropped $35,000 from the library budget and questioned spending on items as seemingly minute as toilets in the county jail.
After several hours of cutting, Supervisor T.D. Thornton suggested a 3-cent real estate tax rate increase.
"It's not right to whack everything to the bone and not add a little bit of a tax increase," Thornton said. "I know it's difficult."
Some other board members - four of whom are up for election in November - seemed less than enthusiastic.
At Chairman A.A. "Gus" Saarnijoki's suggestion, board members hesitantly agreed to advertise a 68-cent rate - all the while stressing that they were only agreeing to advertise the rate.
Ultimately, the board can pick a lower rate, but it can't choose a higher one.
by CNB