School Board, BOS should look for more revenue

Cheryl Orye
Published: April 22, 2008

I think the School Board made a valiant effort to whittle its budget increase down from $17 million to just $6 million. That at least brings the total down to this stratosphere. Now the board can really try to be realistic.

Sports and arts cannot be a priority over academics and career programs. There should be salary freezes or even reductions. The School Board needs to stop creating jobs for retired principals who are already receiving a pension from taxpayer money.

Maybe the board could contract out more services such as maintenance and janitorial at a more competitive rate. Maybe they could reduce office staff across the board.

One thing I’m sure they will not even consider doing is delay the opening of Eastern View High School.

The School Board didn’t want to consider converting the existing high school-middle school campus into one high school campus before they built EVHS, and they won’t do so now.

The board has a wish list, not a basic needs list, and the board members are demanding the Board of Supervisors fund it, no questions asked.

What other services does the School Board want the county to cut or eliminate to fully fund the schools?

I do not want my real estate taxes increased at all, especially after the ridiculously high recent assessment.

There must be other ways to raise revenue, such as the meals and lodging tax. One can choose to eat out or not; unfortunately we can’t choose to not pay our taxes.

I think the BOS is doing a tough job to the best of its ability.

Why can’t the town contribute, putting some of its budget towards the schools? It’s because of the developments the Town Council approved that we need more schools in the first place.
Cheryl Orye
Rixeyville