Members of the Sampson County Board of Education’s Auxiliary Services/Finance committee briefly discussed Perdue’s proposed budget, released Tuesday, during a meeting Wednesday morning and how it looks to impact the system.
“I have been running the numbers a bit, and right now, it looks like we are going to have about a million dollar deduction,” said superintendent Dr. Ethan Lenker. “That is just a quick add up, but it looks to be in that neighborhood. However, we will probably get more than that in the stimulus money, so it kind of keeps things in balance.”
Perdue’s proposed budget will reduce spending by $1.3 billion and cut the state’s workforce by 1,030 positions. The job losses don’t include expected reductions in the public schools and university system, which would have more flexibility in making their own cuts.
In the governor’s budget, teachers, principals and administrators are also expected to see a “little bit” of a raise, explained Lenker. “However, everyone has lost longevity checks — people who have been working for 10-plus years did get a cut in salary — but that is the governor’s budget,” Lenker said. “I have a hard time thinking that the School Boards Association will let that part through ... I heard a lot of concern from that yesterday when I talked with the principals, believe me.”
“Well, considering the times we are in,” said committee chairman G.H. Wilson, “it is good just to have a job.”
“That is what everyone said,” continued Lenker. “You know, I may lose several thousands dollars, but there are thousands losing their jobs around the state.”
Lenker noted that there was also some concern about the way the “LEA (school system) flexibility reduction” section is written.
“We don’t like the way that it is written,” said Lenker, “because if it goes in, it will never come out of the budget. Once it is in there, they will never take it away for years. We just want to get the terminology re-written.”
With some re-wording of the section, it would allow superintendents of school systems flexibility to move monies at the “lower levels,” according to Lenker.
“Not to decide how to send it back (to the state),” said Lenker, “but how to move it around to balance out what our needs are.”
For the most part, Perdue’s plan was acceptable, school officials said.
“As a whole, education came across very well, in my opinion,” said Lenker, “as opposed to other agencies.”
Included is a small increase in K-12 per-student spending and spending $7 million in recurring funds for innovative dropout prevention programs.
Lenker is also quick to note that nothing is finalized as of yet. “Please keep in mind, this is the governor’s budget; we still have a good, full two months for discussion on this.”
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