School Board Presents $1.2 Billion Budget to County Supervisors

Posted

After several highly publicized revisions, School Board Chairman At-Large Milt Johns presented the FY13 Prince William County Schools budget to the Board of County Supervisors Tuesday night.

Citing additional students, a need to build new and refurbish facilities, and other financial challenges, Johns requested $1.2 billion from the Board. The budget, he said, reflects long term solutions, minimizes program reductions and maintains the current workforce, while providing a step increase to county educators.

The school budget was formulated based on the assumption that the BOCS would adopt the tax rate of 1.215 percent of $100 of assessed value.

Concerned that the public initially supported a higher tax rate to help fund the construction of a new elementary school on Devlin Road, BOCS Chairman At-Large Corey Stewart inquired about why the proposed elementary school was deferred.

In response, Johns said, "Not enough money."  However, he did indicate that he would support putting the school back in the budget if there is a change in the budget profile.

"There is something in this budget for everyone to dislike," he said.

After the presentation, Brentsville District Supervisor Wally Covington motioned that the board consider transferring land on the county owned Avendale property for two new schools. However, before agreeing to advertise for a public hearing, Stewart wanted reassurance from the School Board that the property would not sit idle for an extended period.

board-of-county-supervisors, bocs, budget, covington, featured, johns, prince-william-county, school-baord, tax-rate, walts