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York Schools Likely Face Shortfall In Next Fiscal YearBy Amber Lester Kennedy Tuesday, November 09, 2010 The York County School Board had its first peek at the budget for 2011-2012, and even with several unknowns, the division is facing a shortfall of $1.9 million. Chief Financial Officer Dennis Jarrett presented a rough sketch of the fiscal outlook at the board’s Monday night work session. He said he’s heard downward cycles last anywhere from five to 10 years, and if that’s true, York County is on its third year of the cycle. He called this early budget the "best-case scenario." Jarrett’s current estimate for the division’s revenue is $204,000. If the division’s enrollment of 12,600 and state projections stay the same as approved last year, the state’s contribution should be about $315,000. But Jarrett said it’s doubtful either assumption will hold true, and the state revenue is likely to decrease. Jarrett’s presentation of the revenue picture had two big question marks: the possibility of impact aid coming from the federal government and the potential impact of Western Refining’s decision to close its refinery. The only funding that won’t change is a $111,000 contribution from the Department of Defense that York County receives because of its high population of students with parents in the military. The division’s expenditures are just as subject to change as its revenues. The Virginia Retirement System rate will increase after the General Assembly lowered it to 8.93 for the 2010-2011 fiscal year. The rate is likely to increase to about 10.16 percent, which would cost the division $844,282. Jarrett explained that if the rate were not going to increase, the state contribution would not go up, either. “It’s a bit of a wash,” he said. If the board agrees to implement a step pay increase for all staff, it would cost $1.2 million, which is the only other static number Jarrett has to work with at the moment. He said aside from $350 bonuses employees will receive with money from the federal Education Jobs fund, school division employees have not received any pay increases in two years. The other unknowns include the division’s expenses for utilities and more. For now, the expenditures total $2.1 million. Most of the numbers are subject to change, but the division will have a better picture after Governor Bob McDonnell releases his proposed budget the third week of December. |
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A $111,000 contribution from the Department of Defense AND the possibility of impact aid coming from the federal government. Big government getting involved in our business again!!
All of us who voted for smaller government, more financial restraint and having "big brother out of our backyard" should be up-in-arms about this.
We don't need these handouts, who's with me ...
Any tea-partiers out there?