Revenue outlook gets dark

VERONA — The 2009-10 revenue picture for the Augusta County Schools became a little bleaker Thursday.

Superintendent Gary McQuain told school board members the local revenue projection coming to the schools from Augusta County for next year’s budget is $1.3 million less than the current year. The drop is based on a variety of factors, from a reduction in building permits to interest earned on investments, McQuain said.

Added with the anticipated cut in state funding proposed by Gov. Timothy Kaine, Augusta County is looking at just more than $6 million less in state and local funding than in the current year’s budget.

“Everything is on the table,’’ McQuain said of possible cuts for 2009-10. But he said the last things he wants to slice in next year’s budget are instructional programs and staff.

Of the potential funding cuts, McQuain told school board members “it is an unbelievable number to deal with.”

North River school board member Nick Collins asked if the school board could explore asking Augusta County for level funding in next year’s budget. Chairman David Shiflett said he would follow up on Collins’ request with Supervisors Chairman Larry Howdyshell and Vice Chairman Gerald Garber.

  School board members were given some potential good news from President Obama’s stimulus package. The U.S. House version of the package would bring the Augusta County Schools $4.7 million in funds over a two-year period.

McQuain said he was hesitant to count too much on the stimulus money, since the bill has not passed the U.S. Senate and because the funding would only be good for two years.

Shiflett said one problem with the stimulus funding is “we don’t know the strings attached to it.” McQuain said a preliminary look would have the money going partially for the Title I program and some for construction.