Monday, Jan. 12, 2009

School district facing budget shortfalls

The schools in Horry County (and throughout the state) are facing budget shortfalls like they have never had to deal with before.

The main reason: state funding that changed a year ago.

Our legislature passed the funding bill that switched funding from property taxes to a 1 percent sales tax. It was hailed as a tax deduction for residents so that our tourist would foot some of the bill. The obvious problem: a recession. The board could choose to go back and raise your taxes. Not only would I vote against higher taxes, I do not believe you could find support on the board for a tax raise. I am also supporting our local legislators that did not panic and go for an easy tax raise.

It is time to do what great CEOs are doing all over the country. Cut, trim, plan, reorganize, and do it without hurting education. We have such a CEO in our superintendent, Dr. Cindy Elsberry. When we searched for a superintendent our board set out not only to find a great educator (and the resumes we received were full of them). It was to find a great educator that could also mange a 500 million dollar corporation (that was not so easy to find). We found the right person in Cindy Elsberry. We gave her a "not so simple mandate": cut about 12 million without hurting our education system ("easier said than done")!!!

Although nothing is finalized, the path she is headed in will not fire one teacher but will facilitate every resource to its greatest potential. The greatest cuts will come from the district office -- again the plan is not to fire but reorganize as people retire or transfer.

Pay attention counties and cities here in Horry County: No tax raise but true streamlining of government. Something that should be done in the good times as well as the rough times. Our citizens can not stand a tax raise in this economy -- nor can we stand for a decrease in our education system.

I am personally proud of our teachers, superintendent, school district and school board. No complaining, just taking the time to turn a great problem into a great opportunity. I believe when all is said and done, we will be a better school district, a better county and a better school board.

--Horry County School school board member Joe DeFeo represents District 3, which includes Carolina Forest. Call him at 222-5912.