The Fairfax County School Board and the county Board of Supervisors convened a budgetary sparring match Tuesday, this year over a $42 million difference between what the schools want and what they’re slated to receive.
The $42 million – on top of the $1.6 billion offered in County Executive Anthony Griffin’s fiscal 2012 proposal – would allow teacher raises for the first time in three years.
Supervisors were politely incredulous as the two boards discussed their finances, pointing out that no county workers have seen raises, and that this year’s budget doesn’t allow for them, either.
“We all have equity concerns,” said Board Chairman Sharon Bulova, D-At Large. “Is it right for an employee on one side of the house to see a compensation increase when we’re not able to do so for the other side of the house?”
Even if the schools had answered ‘yes,’ Supervisor Pat Herrity, R-Springfield, said that’s no reason to hand over the money.
“There’s room for them to find $42 million in their current budget,” he said following the meeting. “What they need to be doing is cutting administrative costs.”
Schools Superintendent Jack Dale balked at the suggestion of further cuts.
“Remember, in the past three years we’ve cut 1,400 positions and $465 million – we’ve been in cut mode cut mode cut mode,” he said, adding that the savings already have come from areas like administration.
The boards found at least ideological agreement on the idea of expanding full-day kindergarten across the county over the next three years. Currently, about half of elementary schools offer it.
The cost of the initiative is a relatively small $8 million, but by the time everyone at the table championed it, half of the meeting had passed.
Still, how to pay for it proved contentious, with Supervisor Cathy Hudgins, D-Hunter Mill, questioning if the schools had directed funds at less important programs while full-day kindergarten was delayed.
The board’s three Republicans and at least three Democrats have expressed wariness if not outright distaste for any proposal to increase Griffin’s advertised $1.09 property tax rate in order to fund the schools’ request.
Dale hinted that constituents might be willing to pay the price.
“I’ve always believed you should define the programs the community wants and is willing to pay for, and that should determine the tax rate.”
