Bedford schools may see even deeper cuts

The Bedford County Board of Supervisors is continuing budget talks today and is set to meet with Bedford Schools’ Superintendent Douglas Schuch to review the school system’s grim fiscal forecast.

In his 2010-2011 budget proposal, Schuch has recommended laying off 124 positions and consolidating two elementary schools, among other steps, to offset what so far has been projected as a $7 million reduction in funding. That number could grow worse and further cuts may have to be made, Schuch said last week.

Bedford County last year contributed more than $36 million to the schools and Schuch has made his proposal on the assumption that level funding would continue, though he said that is not a certainty based on the county’s own fiscal challenges.

Schuch is scheduled to meet with supervisors at a 5 p.m. work session today at the county administration building at 122 East Main St. in downtown Bedford.

Chairman Roger Cheek said he personally would like to level fund schools if at all possible but added that county departments are taking hits. He said a workforce reduction of county employees may be under consideration for the county’s 2010-11 budget due to state cuts and expected losses in revenue, but it’s not clear yet to what extent.

Despite mounting pressures on the school system and county offices, supervisors are still not eying a local tax increase to create additional revenue.

“There are some that could stand tax increases, no doubt about it,” Cheek said. “But there’s a large per-centage that can’t stand it. So many are to the point that if they have one more expense they will go under. Why add insult to injury?”

Cheek said the county increased its funding to schools consistently over the past decade until a year ago when it could no longer afford to do so because of the economy. Now is a time for local government to “lean down and get back to basics,” Cheek said.

Thaxton Elementary School and Body Camp Elementary School are proposed to be taken offline and reconfigured into preschool centers, much to the outrage of parents and residents who are protesting it.

David Black, a Bedford County School Board member, last week mentioned approaching the county for additional aid to keep them open.

“It’s a fair question,” Black said.

Chuck Neudorfer, the supervisor who represents Body Camp, last week observed the public protest of the school consolidations and said the community made a lot of good comments and suggestions.

“I think they all need to be taken into account,” he said. “There is not any way the county can make up for the schools’ shortfall from the state and federal level. We’re trying to cope basically with what the schools are dealing with.”

Neudorfer said he also isn’t keen on a local tax increase and “it’s the wrong time” for such a move, even if some support it. He said his district at Smith Mountain Lake absorbed a large tax burden from the county’s most recent reassessment that caused land values to skyrocket.

A one-cent increase in the real estate tax rate of 50 cents per $100 of assessed value would generate in the vicinity of $750,000, Neudorfer said. He said he could support level funding for the schools but he won’t commit to it until he sees all the numbers first.

County Administrator Kathleen Guzi is set to discuss figures with supervisors today.

The board is holding its regular meeting at 7:30 p.m. To view the agenda, visit www.co.bedford.va.us and click on Board of Supervisors.