Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 29, 1994 TAG: 9403290087
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: BRIAN KELLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
County fiscal management director Jeff Lunsford is to present options that will include cutting other county budgets in the coming fiscal year to cover the deficit or putting aside some of next year's school budget in a special account to compel the School Board to give back what county officials believe is an unintended surplus for the fiscal year that ends June 30.
School Superintendent Herman Bartlett said the School Board has no plans for how it could cut $793,000, or nearly 2 percent, from its $46.2 million 1994-95 budget. "We're not even thinking that," he said.
Bartlett said cutting the money from this year's budget would be difficult, because teaching and other contracts have been based on having the full appropriation available.
After more than a month of maneuvering by the county and school staffs, the supervisors had a chance to publicly question Bartlett and School Board leaders Monday in connection with an incorrect estimate of an average daily membership of 9,030 students the county used last spring to predict state revenues.
Bartlett and schools Chairman Roy Vickers stuck by their position that the 1993-94 school budget contained a lower, more accurate estimate of 8,731 students when it went to the Board of Supervisors last spring. They contend county budget planners and the Board of Supervisors used the higher figures to avoid a tax increase or further spending cuts last year.
The shortfall developed because the state will pay only its portion of the county school budget based on the actual average daily membership during the school year. Since the estimate used last spring was off by 180 students, the county either must make up the state's share for those nonexistent students - called "ghosts" by Bartlett - or get it back from the school division.
The overall "ghost" revenue amounted to $793,000. The supervisors cannot take back the county's share of that, which is $280,000. That leaves about $515,000 at issue in the current fiscal year.
At least two supervisors seemed angry while questioning Bartlett about why it took so long for the issue to come to the supervisors' attention, and whether the School Board knew about three memos County Administrator Betty Thomas sent to former School Superintendent Harold Dodge a year ago asking for clarification on the issue.
Bartlett said he didn't realize the incorrect number was used until Thomas sent over a copy of her budget proposal last month. Vickers said the School Board was unaware of the disputed memos.
There was no clear indication from the questioning if a majority of the board believes the school budget should be cut. The supervisors will resume work on the budget at 7 p.m. tonight on the third floor of the Montgomery County Courthouse.
"There's no question that the Board of Supervisors has to make some cuts in the proposed budget, even to meet the advertised [tax] rate," Chairman Larry Linkous said. The board has advertised the first major county tax increase in three years: an 8-cent boost to the real estate tax rate and a 25-cent jump for the personal property tax.
by CNB