The budget battle between the state Board of Education and the Boone County School Board has come to a head. The state board voted Thursday to take over operation of Boone County schools beginning Monday unless the locals come up with a balanced budget for the new fiscal year.
State education officials say Boone County’s proposed budget has a deficit of approximately $4.5 million and would run out of money in April, 2017, two months before the end of the fiscal year. The state submitted its own plan to Boone County that includes layoffs, pay cuts and benefit reductions, but the local school board rejected that 5-0.
Boone County is going through a severe recession because of the precipitous decline of the coal industry. As a result, tax collections that support the school system have declined. The student population has dropped and that reduces the amount of money the county receives based on the school aid formula. Currently Boone County has 40 positions above the formula that are paid with local funds.
During boom times the county school system expanded benefits for employees and raised salaries. Currently, Boone County teachers are the second highest paid in the state, behind Putnam County. The school system also built up a healthy surplus of nearly $10 million.
However, as tax revenue started to fall, the county spent down that surplus and struggled to reduce costs. And now they are in a fiscal jam.
Governor Tomblin and the Legislature bailed out Boone County recently by approving a $2 million dollar allocation so the county could meet payroll, but it is doubtful Charleston would be inclined to do that again, so the hard choices will have to be made.
The state board is prepared to take over Boone County schools, but that’s not the best option. The state board has enough on its plate. Additionally, layoffs and cuts originating from Charleston will create even more hard feelings.
There’s a reason why we historically have tried to keep schools under local control; the folks who live in the communities should be the ones who know best how to manage their schools. Boone County school leaders may have let their budget problems get away from them, and it’s understandable that the fiscal impact of coal’s collapse has been difficult to manage.
However, the Boone County board and superintendent must confront reality and discharge their duties in an appropriate manner by delivering a balanced budget. The fiscal belt tightening is going to happen one way or another, so it’s far better if the local board takes prudent action while simultaneously maintaining control of their schools.