110 W. New York Ave., DeLand, FL
386-734-4622
By Al Everson
posted Feb 1, 2009 - 8:20:52am
In response to the concerns voiced by The Beacon's readers about the financial situation in our schools, The Beacon is taking a close look at the School Board's budget.
This first installment is intended as a primer, an aid to understanding the school system's budget.
A budget has two basic components: spending and revenues. Virtually all of the revenues — money flowing into the government's treasury — for the state and for education come in the form of taxes, especially sales taxes and real-estate taxes. (Smaller shares of funding come from the federal government, mostly for particular programs such as school lunches or enhanced learning for underprivileged children.)
Under the Florida Constitution, education is a state responsibility, and thus the county's school system is actually a state agency.
The Florida Constitution also requires the state — including public education — to operate with a balanced budget. Unlike the federal government, Florida's state government may not spend more money than it receives.
The budget is based on assumptions revenues will rise, fall or remain steady. Thus, if or when the revenues are less than the School Board had anticipated, spending must be trimmed to keep the budget in balance.
The Volusia County SchoolDistrict's 2008-09 budget, as adopted by the School Board last year, totals $1.081 billion. That overall budget includes an operating budget of $474.4 million. The operating budget includes salaries and benefits for teachers and other personnel, utilities, and fuel for school buses, among other things. The operating budget is the one sustaining most of the funding cuts.
Other parts of the School Board's spending scenario include the capital budget and debt service. The budgets, along with the federal funds the Volusia School District receives, are kept separate and spent only on special programs and projects. The federal funds are earmarked for special programs, including school lunches and enhanced education for underprivileged children.
The funds within the capital budget may be spent only for building new schools or constructing facilities like warehouses for school supplies, or making improvements such as climate-control systems and other equipment.
Likewise, funds set aside for debt service — repaying bonds issued for school construction — must be used for that purpose alone and no other.
In short, the capital budget may not be used to cover operating expenses, for example; nor may the federal dollars be shifted to the capital budget or to many of the line items within the operating budget.
Much of the funding for the school system is also categorical, meaning its use is limited to specific items, activities, programs, or personnel. The Florida Legislature and/or the Florida Department of Education often restrict the funding.
This rigidity in budgeting causes problems, according to educators. Volusia County Schools Superintendent Margaret Smith said the School Board will ask the Florida Legislature for more discretion in spending.
"We want flexibility with the money we do get," said Smith. "We want local control. ... We don't want any more mandates or requirements."
In any event, to address the revenue side of the ledger, Smith also called for new taxes or increases in existing ones to cover the current and pending shortfalls. Suggestions include new levies on alcoholic beverages and tobacco, eliminating sales-tax exemptions, and subjecting Internet commerce in Florida to the state and local sales taxes.
Reader Comments
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ALL Administrators and their support staff should HAVE to be in an actual classroom in some capacity all day at least a few days each month. This way they know first hand what is going on.
Most of us taxpayers are not opposed to paying taxes, we simply want them to be used wisely. Our number one asset is our children. The saying “they are our future” is so very true. We are living in a changing world. Our school system needs to get back to what is most important. We are living in a world with a global economy and our children need the tools and knowledge necessary to compete. Education cannot just simply consist of reading, writing, and arithmetic. Our future as a County and as a Country is going to be dependent on our children having a strong background in science and engineering. Vocational programs will play a vital role in their future, and our future. We need to reward strong academics before we reward star ball players.
Currently the County of Volusia helps subsidize a variety of after school and summer programs around the County. These programs include, but are not limited to, programs offered by the Boys & Girls Club of Volusia & Flagler Counties, the YMCA, local City youth related programs, and the County’s own Parks and Recreation programs. I am still perplexed about how this works. Our tax dollars are used to help pay for these programs and yet participants still have to pay to attend. Do a little research and find out how much of your tax money has been used to support the YMCA. Once you find the answer go down to the YMCA and find out what a membership will cost you and/or your family.
The County has parks throughout the County that are funded through your tax dollars. These are also City owned parks throughout the County that are funded by local, and in some cases County tax dollars. Meanwhile we have schools within just a few miles of virtually every citizen of Volusia County. At the end of the day and during the summer months most of our schools are locked up. I say “OUR” because we the TAX PAYERS paid for them.
Consider this idea for a minute. Do not spend another dime on building another park or play ground in the County or in any City. Consolidate the funding, staffing, and management of all of the recreational and educational after school programs and have the programs offered at OUR schools. Have Teen Dances and other activities on weekend nights at each High School. When land is purchased to build a new school s use the consolidated funding to purchase larger portions of land to accommodate other recreational activities. Make our schools a place that is inviting. Bring back community involvement to our area schools. Think of what we could have at almost every neighborhood school if we spent our tax dollars more wisely. How about locating community pools, skate parks, tennis courts, baseball fields, soccer fields, health and fitness facilities, and other such amities at our schools as opposed to purchasing additional land at other locations. In addition to having after school sports programs, why not offer after school hands on engineering programs. Why don’t we have a home coming parade for the math, science, or engineering clubs.
The County Government, City Governments, and School Board need to work together on consolidating purchases and programs. Using a little brain power could create a better school system and better services for all of the citizens of this County for less. The days of empire building in the various County, City, and School Board Departments needs to come to an end. We the tax payers of this County and our children deserve more and we can have it for less. Put your egos to the side and think out side of the box. Someone in a leadership position please step up and have the guts to force some change. We can do better!!!
WAKE UP AND STAND UP!!!
Spell check, word processing and do it yourself would help administrative folks down from the king for a day platforms.
Money to the teachers and students first.
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