Last year, the County Council shifted money from other projects in order to move more money into the school system budget.
But this year, facing one of the tightest budget years since the early 1990s, council members were wary about doing the same thing again as they reviewed the school system budget Friday.
The school system is seeking an additional $4.7 million from the county for its capital budget to pay for maintenance at various schools.
“I still believe this is the best of times as far as the school system is concerned,” said Schools Superintendent Sydney Cousin. “What we want to do is maintain that level of performance.”
Combining state and county money, the schools capital budget is still $26.2 million less than what was requested, Cousin said. School leaders hope to restore about $10.7 million of that money through a combination of state money, shifting funds from other projects, and $4.7 million in additional county revenues.
School officials are already planning to use the $2 million in additional state money to pay for teacher laptops and computers for lab rooms. Money for those projects was left out of County Executive Kenneth Ulman’s proposed capital and operating budgets, which were released last month.
Council members asked schools officials about the possibility of shifting money from other projects to find the extra $4.7 million, or finding other ways to trim the budget. Council member Calvin Ball asked school officials whether the capital projects they want more money for are their highest priority or if other projects could be cut instead.
“We’re in difficult times,” Ball said. “We’d all love to fund more.”
Council member Courtney Watson praised school officials for putting together a lean budget, but said it’s not certain the county will be able to step in with additional money. Council member Gregory Fox went down a list of specific projects that appeared to have leftover money, to see if schools officials had taken them into account.
“The points you’re making are well taken,” Cousin said at one point. “We need to think about how we’re going to do this.”
Last year, the council moved $1.7 million from other county projects to pay for an unexpected shortfall in state money and cut $50,000 from its own budget to pay for school renovations.
The council continued to hold work sessions on the county budget Friday and will resume the process Monday. The council is set to adopt the budget May 20.
But this year, facing one of the tightest budget years since the early 1990s, council members were wary about doing the same thing again as they reviewed the school system budget Friday.
The school system is seeking an additional $4.7 million from the county for its capital budget to pay for maintenance at various schools.
“I still believe this is the best of times as far as the school system is concerned,” said Schools Superintendent Sydney Cousin. “What we want to do is maintain that level of performance.”
Combining state and county money, the schools capital budget is still $26.2 million less than what was requested, Cousin said. School leaders hope to restore about $10.7 million of that money through a combination of state money, shifting funds from other projects, and $4.7 million in additional county revenues.
School officials are already planning to use the $2 million in additional state money to pay for teacher laptops and computers for lab rooms. Money for those projects was left out of County Executive Kenneth Ulman’s proposed capital and operating budgets, which were released last month.
Council members asked schools officials about the possibility of shifting money from other projects to find the extra $4.7 million, or finding other ways to trim the budget. Council member Calvin Ball asked school officials whether the capital projects they want more money for are their highest priority or if other projects could be cut instead.
“We’re in difficult times,” Ball said. “We’d all love to fund more.”
Council member Courtney Watson praised school officials for putting together a lean budget, but said it’s not certain the county will be able to step in with additional money. Council member Gregory Fox went down a list of specific projects that appeared to have leftover money, to see if schools officials had taken them into account.
“The points you’re making are well taken,” Cousin said at one point. “We need to think about how we’re going to do this.”
Last year, the council moved $1.7 million from other county projects to pay for an unexpected shortfall in state money and cut $50,000 from its own budget to pay for school renovations.
The council continued to hold work sessions on the county budget Friday and will resume the process Monday. The council is set to adopt the budget May 20.
user comments (1)
user observer says...
The Council and school system have done this dance at budget time almost every year. But to be honest, laptops and lab computers are really not appropriate for the capital budget, especially if funded by borrowing. If funded by pay-as-you-go cash, then the move is really a budgetary shell game--that same cash could be used for almost any item in the county's operating budget. Ah, and the $50,000 cut in the council's own budget to pay for school renovations? 100% political image polishing. Are the council members going to expect the $50,000 to be split into five $10,000 projects (one per councilmatic district?)
Posted 8:23 PM, 05.10.09 | Permalink
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