ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, May 29, 1996 TAG: 9605290082
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
Conflicts over Roanoke County school funding, such as those that have occurred in recent months, could be avoided if the Board of Supervisors gets its way.
The supervisors want the School Board to have the power of taxation so it can raise the money to pay for school operations and improvements.
"It will take a state constitutional change and might take 10 years to get it approved, but the School Board should have that right," said Supervisors' Chairman Bob Johnson.
The supervisors want the General Assembly to take action at its next session to begin the process that would lead to a shared power of taxation in localities with elected school boards.
The county's request will be referred to the Virginia Association of Counties to be included in a statewide package of legislative requests. The supervisors approved a legislative wish list Tuesday that will be submitted to the counties' organization.
School boards in Virginia now must depend on local governing bodies to fund their budgets and school improvements. School boards in more than 20 states have the power of taxation.
"Now the responsibilities are divided," said Supervisor Lee Eddy. "It only makes sense that the fund-raising responsibility would be with the body responsible [for schools]."
Several School Board members have said they believe the board ought to have the right to raise funds for schools so it wouldn't have to depend on the supervisors.
Supervisor Spike Harrison said he is glad that it might take up to 10 years to get the change approved, citing the recent county controversy over school funding and the defeat of a $37.4 million school bond referendum last month.
"We need to turn around the atmosphere and climate in the county before this change is made," Harrison said, adding that funding for schools might be jeopardized if the switch were made too soon.
But Eddy said the change would not mean that the school budget would be submitted to voters for approval. The School Board could raise funds by levying taxes, similar to the method used by the supervisors to fund the county budget, he said.
On a related matter, the supervisors approved a $79.9 million school budget for next year, but it is less than the board requested.
The School Board asked for an increase of nearly $8 million in local funds, saying the money was needed to provide pay raises for school employees, hire more teachers and buy instructional equipment. But the supervisors provided less than one-half of that amount.
The school budget is up $3.8 million, or 5 percent, but that also includes an increase in state money.
The budget includes funds for average pay raises of 5 percent for school employees, four police resource officers for the county's high schools and additional special education teachers.
Superintendent Deanna Gordon said the budget will help meet several pressing needs, in addition to the salary increases and resource officers. "We feel this is a good financial plan that will enable us to move forward."
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