School budget includes cuts, mill increase

By April Silvaggio  

JUNE 3, 2010 8:17 a.m. (0)

The Greenville County Schools Board of Trustees on Tuesday voted 6 to 5 to give final approval to a $400 million general fund budget which cuts nearly $23 million in positions and programs, and enacts a 2.2-mill tax increase on businesses, rental homes and personal property.

For the owner of a small business with property valued at $200,000, the additional 2.2 mills will tack on an additional $26.40 a year to their tax bill. Likewise for the owner of a business with property valued at $1 million, the annual tax bill will go up by $132.

Folks who spoke at a public hearing Tuesday at the Greenville County Schools District Office that preceded a special meeting initially called for the board to give second reading to the FY2011 spending plan said the increase is a small but necessary price to pay to keep students from losing too much ground.

Merry Beth Snyder of Greenville, a mother with six children in the Greenville County school system, asked trustees to not to make the cuts any deeper this year.

“Education is the most important thing I can give my children,” she said. “With the budget cuts that are already proposed, I can’t even begin to tell you how it will affect them. I’ve seen a child with Cs and Ds go to As and Bs this year, and it has everything to do with her being involved in the band program. She finally wants to be there.”

No teachers will lose their jobs, said Oby Lyles, spokesman for the school district. However, it will be necessary for some to move to new assignments at other schools.

The budget increases the student-teacher ratio by one student per class in first through twelfth grade and two students per class in kindergarten.

It eliminates supplementary science instructors for grades 3, 4, and 5 who previously provided an additional hour each week of hands-on science instruction in a lab setting.

Instead of district officials mandating specific cuts on a school by school basis, principals will have the task of keeping costs at $75 per pupil, and trying to cut positions or programs that have the least impact on their students.

The FY 2011 budget also calls for a 5 percent salary reduction for the estimated 496 employees who have retired and returned to work. It does not impact those who fall under the TERI plan.

The short term certified substitute daily rate will drop from $145.50 to $100.00.

“We’re once again between the devil and the deep blue sea,” Trustee Chuck Saylors said as the board grappled with whether a third reading on the budget was needed. “This is not an easy decision. But at some point in time we need to make the tough decision and support it.”

In the end, the decision on where to cut dollars came down to where it would do the least harm, Trustee Tommie Reece said.

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