School Funds Take Center Stage at City Hall Tonight

Fredericksburg's City Council and school board will meet tonight in a special council work session to discuss funding the public school system to the tune of nearly $25 million next year. Easing the pressure on both sides is the comparatively small $68,000 gap between the school board's proposed budget and the City Manager's proposed budget. 

Considering the small difference, City School's Superintendent David Melton said that reaching a consensus on the budget was probably not going to be an uphill task. 

"We present a budget based on need to City Council...it's very close," said Melton."I think it's doable."

The proposed school budget has been on something of a diet ever since it was first released, down considerably from a $1.4 million increase in city funds  in January. On March 7, the , with school officials shaving nearly $362,800 off the price tag, asking for an increase of only $1 million. Later that week, revised local funding estimates from the Virginia Department of Education cut the  at $968,600. 

Education funding is the largest single line item on the city's books, accounting for nearly 33 percent of a proposed $75 million municipal budget. 

The school board's proposed budget increases fall along four line items: a 2.5 percent pay increase for all employees, hiring five new teachers, and increases in health insurance premiums and retirement benefits. Melton says that pay raises are needed to retain staff who may be lured by better compensation elsewhere. 

By law, City Council must approve a budget before May 15. 

Tonight's joint work session is at 6 p.m. in the large conference room on the third floor of city hall. Melton will present the budget to City Council and an open discussion will follow, said Assistant City Manager Mark Whitley. The City Council is also expected to discuss the budget at large.