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Suffolk schools take $4M hit
Published Monday, February 8, 2010
When he released it last week, Dr. Milton R. Liverman said there was a strong chance that his proposed 2010-2011 budget for Suffolk Public Schools would not survive intact.
On Monday, that budget — already suffering from expected cuts in state funding — took another big hit, as Gov. Bob McDonnell announced a change to the formula that calculates the ratio of state to local money in school budgets across the commonwealth.
In making the announcement, McDonnell’s office noted a desire to save school systems in Northern Virginia $128.3 million in local funds by adjusting the local composite index, which determines a community’s ability to pay for schools.
Updating that index — which has a strong connection to property values — would result in the state taking more of the responsibility for school funding and the localities taking a smaller role in Northern Virginia, where the recession has brought plunging property values. In Suffolk, where property values actually rose slightly during the past couple of years, the effect will be to require an extra $4 million in local funding to meet reduced state responsibilities.
“We always knew that the composite index formula change for 2010-11 was one of the possibilities we might have to deal with,” Liverman stated in an email late Friday afternoon. “We had hoped against hope that it wouldn’t happen, but now we’ll start finding ways to deal with this $4-million decrease.”
It had been unclear until Monday what McDonnell would do about the index, which his predecessor had suggested be held static through 2012. Early reports from Richmond after McDonnell took office last month had indicated he would stand by former Gov. Tim Kaine’s proposal to freeze the LCI. But last week, McDonnell’s said the change was still under consideration.
On Monday, he announced his decision had been made.
“For nearly 40 years, the local composite index has been an impartial means by which to determine state and local responsibility for education funding in Virginia,” McDonnell said in a press release announcing the change. “The local composite index must be applied to all localities, at all times, in the same objective and fair manner by which it has always been utilized. Ensuring that we have a fair formula that is implemented without regard to temporary or political considerations is the best means by which to appropriate education funding in the commonwealth.”
The resulting cuts in Suffolk’s budget will require Suffolk school administrators and School Board members to take a closer look at their budget even earlier than usual, according to Liverman.
“The board has typically met to adopt the revised budget in late March after the General Assembly closes, but this year the board will need to discuss much earlier some of the cuts that will be necessary,” he stated.
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Comments
Posted by am (anonymous) on February 8, 2010 at 9:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well, the other shoe just dropped.
Posted by NP (anonymous) on February 9, 2010 at 7:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow, that 3.5 million that the school board gave back to the city sure would come in handy about now. Maybe the city employees coud give back the bonus for the greater good of educating our kids.
Posted by Suffolk64 (anonymous) on February 9, 2010 at 8:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I knew there was a bigger reason I did NOT vote for McDonnell other than the fact that I just DON'T like him! I knew this was going to happen and I told everyone who was planning to vote for this joker that we will all have to strap on our diapers once hes in! Here come the job losses! I'm so glad this is the last year of education in public schools for my child. Good luck to everyone and their children!
Posted by xyz123 (anonymous) on February 9, 2010 at 10:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe McDonnell is trying to clean up the mess that was left behind with former gov. Tim Kaine. Unfortunately that means budget cuts and people may lose jobs, I may even be one of them as a teacher. However, I like the fact that he is trying to fix the problem instead of putting a band-aid over like the previous gov. The students will get through this time. Good teachers will adjust like they always have. It's not like classrooms are not already overcrowded.
Posted by Working (anonymous) on February 9, 2010 at 11:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
So much for him being "everyone's local candidate". He looks to be more "Fairfax's First Son" than "Hampton Roads' Own". Those, somehow, are all his words.
Posted by 0107meka (anonymous) on February 9, 2010 at 4:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I wonder what the city manager is going to do to help the school system. I feel like the school teachers and staff should go to the school board meeting like the city workers did about 9 years ago when they wasn't going to get raises.
Posted by Suffolk1 (anonymous) on February 9, 2010 at 7:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I fully support the school system and especially the Teachers and aides. However, this city is full of other employees as well, but most of you seem to care less. Yes, the teachers need raises!! But so do those protecting us from harm, those saving our lives & property, those collecting our garbage, yada, yada, yada!! NP, you want employees to return a one time bonus, but they have gone without raises longer than the teachers. The last I heard of raises was almost 4 years ago for city employees. ALL CITY EMPLOYEES are a part of your childrens lives and YES they have families to feed too. Maybe, more parent's need to step up and do more with their children & quit putting everything on the Teachers!!!!!
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