WJC Schools Budget Update

Dear School Supporters,

The James City County proposed budget has been released and while there is good news to report, there is also room for concern. (See the attached document that compares what the School Board proposed to what the county proposes to fund.)

Please "click here" to let the Board of Supervisors know you support
fully funding WJC Schools' proposed operating and capital budgets.

In the operating budget, the county's funding levels (which by formula affects city contributions) leave WJC Schools $732,000 short. An earlier additional appropriation of $638,000 from the county and the city's sales tax for education revenue effectively reduced what would have otherwise been a $1.37 million shortfall to $732,000.

It is unclear what further reductions the superintendent will recommend or what the School Board will do, but hopefully there will be an indication very soon so the community will understand how the $732,000 shortfall could impact WJC's proposed budget.

On the capital budget, it appears the big ticket items for new facilities are intact: the 8th elementary (opening 2007), 4th middle (opening 2009), and 9th elementary (opening 2009, though the initial FY07 funding for planning was delayed). The multipurpose building to house alternative education, and student services that was slated to open in 2007 has been delayed in
the county's CIP; however, this particular delay is more a function of the School Board putting the brakes on this project than the county delaying it.

The county proposes to delay about $616,000 of projects at existing schools: HVAC replacement at Clara Byrd Baker and DJ Montague, the resurfacing and expansion of the Norge parking lot, renovation of the career and technical building at Lafayette (the "900 building"), and the replacement of the media system at Jamestown. While these are supposed to be
funded in future years, the future is never certain in the CIP. Thus, it is always concerning when projects are delayed because other projects get pushed back and the division gets further and further behind.

Despite the fact that that FY07 allocation for expanding the school bus fleet due to the opening of the 3rd high and 8th elementary is not what was requested by the School Board, it appears that over time the county will provide the funds to expand the fleet. (Note: EXPANDING the fleet is different from REPLACING existing buses which is done in the operating
budget.)

So, all-and-all the news from the county is good, but you may recall all the items that the School Board did not include it is budget to begin with, over $2 million dollars worth. Reducing the budget further is likely to be very challenging.

But you can help. "Click here" and encourage the supervisors (whose email addresses should appear) to find the additional funds so that the schools' operating and capital budgets can be fully funded. Please write soon because the county's public hearing on the budget is on April 25 and work sessions where decisions will be made will soon follow.

As a joint county-city school division, Williamsburg city residents should write too because what the county does impacts everyone. The City has committed to fully funding its part of the school budget if the county will do the same.

Thank you for supporting our schools.

Mike Ludwick