Prince William County supervisors and school board members are clashing over the school system’s five-year budget plan, which is projecting big deficits.
Under the plan presented to the board, a combined deficit of $126.5 million is predicted from 2012 to 2014. The plan includes losing $35 million in federal stimulus funding, but doesn’t include corresponding spending reductions.
“It appears that hope is the plan,” said Supervisor Marty Nohe, R-Coles. “And I worry about that because it’s like standing next to a snake — eventually, it’s [going to] bite you.”
Board Chairman Corey Stewart, R-at large, also questioned the plan.
“If the economy does not drastically improve to the point where we get all these additional revenues … then in those fiscal years, your board is going to be faced with some very calamitous decisions to make,” he told School Board Chairman Milton Johns.
But school officials defended their projections, saying they were taking a “worst-case scenario” approach.
David Cline, associate superintendent for Finance and Support Services, said school officials are anticipating state funding that has not been built into the plan.
“In that sense, the state revenue side of it is very conservative,” he said.
Johns estimated that about 300 jobs would be saved through stimulus money. Superintendent Steven Walts said the schools have a plan to make up the deficits if the economy does not turn around. As part of the plan, the schools would cut the items that were restored with stimulus funds when the money runs out, he said.
“The choice that’s before us is making some extremely harsh cuts now or making them in two years,” Johns said. “I don’t think there’s an easy way around it.”
