|
Last Updated: Nov 14, 2008 - 12:49:26 PM |
With the economic crisis deepening, it looks like there are some tough times ahead for Chesterfield County’s public schools. During a Board of Supervisors work session on Friday, October 31, Allan Carmody, Chesterfield’s director of budget and management, outlined the school system’s updated budget projections for FY2009, showing a two-percent revenue shortfall.
“We have significant financial shortfalls and some strategies in place to address these shortfalls,” says Jay Stegmaier, Chesterfield County Administrator. “These are the most difficult financial times that our government has seen in our lifetime.”
What does this mean for Chesterfield County’s schools? According to the report, the school system could be looking at a FY2009 revenue shortfall of $11,595,100. The brunt of this shortfall comes from falling property values; thanks to these falling values, the school system could be seeing a reduction of nearly $4.5 million that would have come from local property taxes. The school system also only enrolled 157 new students this year, the lowest number since the late ’70s or early ’80s; this translates to a reduction of just over $4 million in state revenue for membership.
Chesterfield school officials are currently looking at a number of ways to help recoup these revenue losses. These will include eliminating unfilled teaching positions and vacancies in non-teaching positions and reducing some supplies to schools and school departments.
The future beyond FY2009 looks just as grim. At this time, county officials are predicting a $37.6 million general fund gap in FY2010. To help cope for this, county officials could review and change the school’s funding formula. Currently, school funding is determined through enrollment based on population, which is the method that officials may choose to continue. Other options are to link the growth in the school’s budget to the county budget, allocate funds based on a demonstrated need for service, or a combination of the three options. At this time, no plans are yet in place for FY2010.
nderatto@villagepublishing.com | 751-0421
© Copyright by Village Publishing
Top of Page Comment
on This Article
The
Village News office is located at 4607 West Hundred Road Chester
Mailing address is PO Box 2397 Chester, VA 23831
Phone: 751-0421 Fax: 751-9155
Office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday call ahead for
other hours.
Statement
of Journalistic Ethics
|
