THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, February 24, 1996 TAG: 9602240005
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 46 lines
Virginia Beach this week inched a step closer toward consolidation of some of the school system's financial services with the city's.
City Council and the School Board voted simultaneously Tuesday to have some sort of consolidation in place by July 1. Council overwhelmingly endorsed the idea - 10-0. The fractious School Board - which can't seem to agree on anything - voted 8-2 to approve a resolution nudging toward consolidation. The board reserved the right to approve any consolidation plan before it goes into effect.
We endorse this common-sense approach to local government. Once implemented, it should restore a measure of confidence in the city's school system.
As it stands now, City Council funds 40 percent of the School Board's budget through tax dollars and yet has little ability to monitor how those monies are spent. Last year's $12.1 million budget fiasco and the current troubled school budget clearly point toward a need for more accountability on the part of the school system.
Foes of consolidation have argued that merging departments would result in a city takeover of the schools. Not so, argue council members, who carefully worded their resolution to ensure that the School Board would continue to ``develop, monitor, maintain and control'' school budgets.
The resolution also spelled out that developing school policies would remain entirely within the jurisdiction of the School Board. In fact, Virginia law explicitly limits how much control over schools the council can exercise.
What consolidation can do is reduce duplication between the school and city finance departments and theoretically save money and improve service. That's good news. It will also allow the City Council - the body responsible for levying taxes to fund education - to keep an eye on how finances are being managed and raise a red flag in a timely manner.
This vote comes 18 months after City Council first proposed consolidation. It's about time. by CNB