School System Hopes County Will Reconsider Cuts
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BY JOHN KRAHNERT III
Staff Writer
The Moore County school system is attempting to raise awareness about the severity of funding cuts it faces for the coming fiscal year.
Last week, Moore County Manager Cary McSwain presented his recommended budget to the Moore County Board of Commissioners. The budget appropriates about $26.3 million for the school system - about $1.15 million less than the $27.4 million the Moore County Board of Education requested.
Purser said the school system has had to endure almost $5 million in reductions since 2007-2008. Last year, following a $2.5 million reduction, the school system had to cut 50 positions. More than half of them were layoffs, Purser said.
"We felt a great deal of pain when we look at our personnel," she told the Board of Education during its meeting Monday night. "We felt that pain with our individuals. We feel that on an ongoing basis because those 50 positions have been lost to our system."
Purser said the system has not asked for any replacement of those funds from the county and had to absorb those costs within its budget. It is bracing for at least $1.1 million in state cuts for this coming budget and has planned accordingly.
Moving forward, the picture isn't any rosier. Another $1.7 million in state cuts could be coming for 2010-2011. Next year, the system will lose another $5.2 million after federal stimulus funds expire. All together, that's a total loss of $11.7 million, or a nearly 11 percent reduction, since 2008.
Purser said the combined impact to the school system for the coming year from the local reductions and state cuts outlined in the governor's proposed budget could be more than $2.6 million.
"We have had a severe impact," she said, "and we're looking for more in the future."
The school board requested $26.2 million from the county for a current expenses - $1.3 million more than last year - and about $1.13 million for capital outlay. The county's budget proposal includes $25.5 million for current expenses and and $711,932 for capital outlay.
The school system attributed the $1.3 million increase to the operating expenses of opening of two new schools and additions at four existing schools - $978,000. That amount also covers mandated increases in retirement rate and health insurance - $375,000.
The county's budget proposal reduces the school system's current budget by 3 percent and adds back the expansion budget for the new expenses.
The commissioners were told during a budget work session last Thursday that fully funding the school board's budget request would require a 1.5-cent property tax increase.
"We have not asked the county to increase taxes," Purser said. "We have simply talked to them about what our needs are, and we said we will continue to work with the county in bringing about financial olutions that would look out for the schools as well as look out for our community as a whole."
Purser said the school system is working diligently to preserve jobs but said she couldn't guarantee anything if the cuts are worse than expected.
"It is our hope that we can sustain our people, and that will be our goal throughout the process as the weeks continue," she said.
The county will hold a public hearing on its budget proposal on May 17, and representatives from the school system will attend.
School board members echoed Purser's concerns Monday.
"I just think the schools are the lifeline of our democracy," Lorna Clack said, "and we need to fight for them."
Contact John Krahnert III by e-mail at jkrahnert@thepilot.com.
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Comments
jjslilred 3 years ago
The only way the County can afford to carry the schools is by either increasing taxes or make the other County departments pay for the schools. I guess Ms. Purser doesn't care what it will cost others in order to keep her from having to trim the fat out of her budget.
And, btw, isn't this what our grand education lottery was supposed to fix? You can't buy a soda at a gas station without waiting forever on people buying lottery tickets, but there isn't enough money to take care of our schools? Sounds a bit hinky to me...
Steve 3 years ago
It's to top heavy.They need to start there. You just need to go to the board of education and you can see for your self.
CSmithson 3 years ago
Fight for our schools Moore County Board of Education!!!
So many on the Board of Education as well as the Board of Commissioners have said how great it is that the two boards get along so well and aren’t at odds over the budget like they were a few years back.
Unless there really is so much slack in the school budget that cutting millions of dollars from the budget multiple years in a row is no big deal when it comes to educating our children, our elected Board of Education members should be mad as hell right now. Where is the “fight” mentioned by the board member in this article?
Current Board of Education members, through their inaction and silence on the matter, have shown for years they have little will to fight for the needs of certain schools and communities. Now, they don’t seem to be willing to fight for the system and taxpayers overall. Either they backed a completely bloated and overstaffed system for years until these cuts came along or they are remaining irresponsibly silent in the face of extreme budget cuts.
It does us no good for the two county boards to “get along” if that merely means the BOE simply accepts whatever budget the County Commissioners tell them they are going to get. BOE members are elected to be responsible for our school system. They should fight to defend the quality of public education in Moore County. If cutting millions from a growing system is no big deal, then shame on you for wasting our money before things got this tight. If that school system quality is even more at risk due to budget cuts, stand up and fight for once!
That 1.5 cents on the tax rate you say you need means about $2-3 a month for the average homeowner. Make your case to the Commissioners and the people of Moore County before next month when the budget is passed. I know there are a small number of selfish retirees who think they have already “paid their dues” and shouldn’t have to fund the schools, but the overwhelming number of retirees and working people in Moore County know education is expensive but worth it.
TheNeedle 3 years ago
Does anyone have any suggestions as to what "fat" may be cut out of the school budget? do the kiddies have too many pencils? Do they really need hardcover books? Wouldn't photocopied pages do just as well?
I'd suggest they drop football, but I'd most likely get lynched.
teufelhunden 3 years ago
No more free/reduced lunches. (I'm bracing for the storm too Needle.)
SCCstudent 3 years ago
They can start with the Central Office and anyone with a "title" before or after their name...millions saved for the teachers and students! Next Dowd Street - Pinkney Complex...more of the same their as well. Why are the students always targeted by those who earn the most? DEMOCRACY.
RmeMP 3 years ago
@SCCstudent- Get ready to take a screen shot of this, for I don't know when it will happen again:
I AGREE WITH YOU ON THIS ONE!
CSmithson 3 years ago
@teufel Kids can't learn very well if they are hungry. Additionally, I am pretty sure it is a federal program. Whether or not the feds cover the costs, It is almost surely mandated.
If we were to somehow cancel the program, our schools would almost certainly drop in performance.
You'd be amazed at how many kids in this county go hungry. The meals many get a school are the best they get all week. Many go hungry on the weekend when school is out. The success of the Backpack Pals program, where kids are sent home with backpacks containing some food for the weekend, is unfortunate in that there is a need for it in the first place.
We can all discuss how people shouldn't have kids if they cannot or will not take proper care of them, but the bottom line is that we as a society have decided children must be protected, fed, educated, and given medical care. When all else fails, public programs are the safety net. Back to school lunches, they not only provide one of the basics of life -food- they promote a better learning environment for ALL students.
SCCstudent 3 years ago
HELP! someone has stolen RmeMP's login information!!! There is a troll on the loose.
SCCstudent 3 years ago
Chris ~ I agree with your thougths and a yellow dog democratic view. I keep going back to how our county government manages taxpayer money. Children and teachers bear the responsibility of those in positions to implement change. As I've said before, "cuts should start at the top down, as opposed to the bottom up". Can anyone tell me what Larry Upchurch does all day? Or his assistants, their assistants, and a secretary for every PHD-ED? Just wondering?
RmeMP 3 years ago
OK, so the Lottery is for the whole state's education right? Does that mean that all of our elected county board members can't think of a way to raise money for OUR county schools?
What about a county bingo night once/twice per month?
What about a good 'ol fashion cookout, "donate for a plate to help our schools"?
What about a huge "auction" of goods/services at the fairgrounds periodically? -3 day deer or turkey hunting trip on someones land -1 weekend of fishing with a resident @ Woodlake -A nice tow behind BarBQue grill -2 or 3 horse riding lessons -Homemade furniture -etc. etc. etc.
This is supposed to be an advantage of living "in the country", the community should come together and help each other once in a while - voluntarily! What better cause than our children?
teufelhunden 3 years ago
A lot of those kids receive Food Stamps which means their parents can buy food and get their butts up in the am to fix a proper breakfast for their children so they can perform better at school. A lot of these parents are the very ones who need to get more involved. They can also make the extra "effort" to pack a sensible lunch for their children as well.
teufelhunden 3 years ago
Start with the bloated salaries & extra positions at the top. I also agree with RmeMP-find fun, engaging ways to support our schools & our children. Local businesses donating items may be able to write it off??? Just an idea.
foregolf 3 years ago
Thank you Chris for defending the children. @teufel: you posted that "a lot of these kids receive food stamps which means that their parents can buy food... " The children do not get food stamps, their parents do. And, unfortunately, that does not mean that they are being used properly.
Another way to support our schools and children would be to help support the teachers with their classroom needs. They often spend out of their own pocket for supplies (I would bet that Administrators in Carthage have not had to buy their own pens!).
runorbike 3 years ago
@teufel
Kids are automatically eligible for free breakfast and lunch if the family receives food stamps. So why not eat breakfast at school? If I didn't have to pay for my childrens' breakfast, I'd send them to school to eat everyday too.
GoldenDreams 3 years ago
The free and reduced lunch program is a federal program, so we can't cut that in terms of the county. I'm a teacher and I see the need for it every day (sorry to say). What I don't understand is the Lottery System, and why it's not helping the schools out more. I have very little supplies for the classroom and try hard to come up with new ways to replentish what I need. Also, don't you think Dr. Purser could do without her myriad of assistant superintendents?
Beth 3 years ago
The senior project should GO! The most recent State study has declared it is of no benefit to the students and they have dropped the requirement. It takes many personnel and hours to manage the project but Moore County still insists it must be done and pays the personnel to administer it. Also, bus routes could be rearranged. Why run three buses over the same route to pick up elementary, middle, and high schoolers. Let one bus pick up all rural students and deliver to the first school where the other buses can pick up and deliver without all the rural miles.
SCCstudent 3 years ago
To All => Goldendreams as well as others have mentioned the state's "Educational Lottery" which is apparently a misnomer; least we forget about our local ABC revenues! According to the brown bags used to transport libations for mental equalibrium, hundreds of thousands are collected for MC public schools. With that said, are the stipended heavy weights in the Central and Pinkney offices skimming their share without contributing to consumption?
D.U.I. fines contribute as well as other court costs collected by the Clerk of Superior Courts office are sent to the state for use by local school boards and counties. Where is all of that money being spent? There are way too many questions to be answered before another dime is spent for MC and SCC budgets: if there is a need for more revenue, then justify the need with actual facts and figures...not just Dr. John making an appearence with George and requesting 4.2 MORE MILLION!!!
Has anyone read Mrs. Pursers' funding request? If one is looking for specifics ~ forget it! One sentence could have surficed...send us more money.