TN TAX BATTLE: (Memphis & Shelby CO) Schools warned: Cuts will be deep

Schools warned: Cuts will be deep By Ruma Banerji banerji@gomemphis.com July 10, 2002

County and city school officials are bracing for deep cuts after being told county commissioners aren't likely to raise taxes to help patch the schools' multimillion-dollar deficits.

Memphis Supt. Johnnie B. Watson is reluctant to discuss specific cuts until he gets more concrete figures from the county and state, saying he doesn't want to upset teachers and other school employees.

Webb said maintenance deferrals will likely be the first cutback in the county system, along with reining in purchases of textbooks and supplies. At its worst, the shortage could threaten the school district's accreditation and force layoffs, he said.

"We have to look at eliminating things without having a devastating effect on the services we're trying to offer," Webb said. "But when you're $20 million short, there have to be deep cuts." At a meeting Monday of the commission's budget and finance committee, Commissioner Cleo Kirk issued a blunt warning, telling school budget officials to "go back to the table to see where more cuts" can be made.

"No use thinking there's going to be a tax increase again this year just for schools," said Kirk, chairman of the budget and finance committee. "Last year, we doubled the wheel tax and raised the property tax 43 cents just for schools. We lost two commissioners (in May's primary election) because of their votes on that."

The county school system is struggling to fill a gaping $21.8 million deficit, and city schools are trying to fill a $41.3 million hole.

"It's possible the state will (allocate) some more money," said Harold Waldon, assistant superintendent over business services for county schools. "But it's not going to be very much." Nancy Richie, director of fiscal services for city schools, echoed the statements. Waldon and Richie said enrollments - and the school construction that has occurred as a result - have persistently driven up school district expenses.

And a state mandate requiring lower student-teacher ratios is making it hard for growing districts to consider hiring freezes and larger class sizes as ways to control costs.

The cuts that may seem benign, like maintenance, will have the worst long-term effects, Webb said. "We'll have parents wondering why there's no heat in the schools, but they don't want their taxes raised."

Watson hopes to get more concrete figures from the state and county within two weeks so he can begin planning for the city schools. Until then, he is not commenting on areas vulnerable to cuts.

"Until I get the bottom line figure from county commissioners and the state, I'm not going to specifically discuss cuts with the school board or the public," he said. "I'm a proponent of raising taxes if that's what it takes to educate the children of the city."

There is some hope on the horizon. The current county property tax rate of $3.79 per $100 allots $2.03 to schools, $1.25 to the county's general fund and 51 cents to the county's debt fund. Kirk is considering a plan that would transfer 5 cents from the county's debt fund to schools, a move that would generate roughly $7 million, with city schools receiving $4.9 million, and county schools receiving $2.1 million.

"I will be talking with various county officials over the next two weeks to see where things can be nipped and tuck ed to create that money," Kirk said. "But I have spoken with many of the commissioners, and no one is in favor of another increase. Education is important, but schools are not the only part of our county needing funding."

The commission is expected to discuss the issue when it meets July 29 as well as approving the county's operating budget, salary policy and debt service budget for fiscal year 2003.

K-12 did not get CUT under the new State budget. K-12 got a whopping increase from the County last year. Our wheel tax was doubled from $25 to $50 for the sole purpose of funding Education. THEY DON'T HAVE A FUNDING CRISIS, THEY HAVE A SPENDING CRISIS!

Last week they had a $11M wish list of NEW spending. Today they are saying they are going to have to make $20M in cuts. These clowns are a joke. TAX AND SPEND is all they know how to do.

Memphis has 64 schools under threat of State take over.

Last year the Shelby Co school system had a surplus. What did they do with it? I know they SPENT it and then some.

Now they are threatening to cut the heat off in the class rooms.

Here's are cuts you can make all those USELESS SPORTS programs that eat up a trememdous amount of education dollars. Cut cafterias and start brown bagging it. CUT your BLOATED administration in half.

Memphis spends double what Shelby Co does to build the same size school. WHY? cause they want their schools to look pretty. They build $132,000 glass curtian walls by a Kalifornia artist, atriums, murals, etc.

The only good thing I noticed about the newly constructed schools were the pitched metal roofs. A vast improvement over the flat roofs that tend to be leaky and in need of constant repair.

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