Fun Fun Fun... Until Daddy Takes the Money Away...

From the evening edition of the Richmond News Leader...(RTD) minus the timeless school board member quotes...

The Chesterfield County School Board gave initial approval tonight to a revised school budget that saves about 100 jobs and lowers employee pay cuts from what first was proposed.

Is this really planning for the future or just marking time until the next trough fills up? Where is the belt tightening?

The $548.3 million plan for 2010-2011 still includes $26.5 million in cuts

By The Taxpayer's calculator, that is a whopping 4.8%. AND we just established that the largest private sector corporation, Dupont, reduced staff by 14%. I believe you are halfway home CCPS. Find another $26.5M and I'll believe you are preparing for the long haul.

The school district faces a $42 million budget shortfall, but Newsome and the board have asked the county to contribute an additional $16.2 million to help close the gap. If the county doesn't come through, more cuts would be made, school officials say.

Here is some advice to the School Board from The Taxpayer. If your shortfall is $42M, make $42M in cuts. The RTD should call it the same way and stop playing the CCPS game.

In other business, the School Board approved the 2010 redistricting boundaries for Carver and Elizabeth Davis middle schools. Sixththrough eighth-grade students who would have gone to Chester Middle School in the fall will be split between Carver and Elizabeth Davis.

How much money did building two unnecessary middle schools in the Bermuda District save again? Hope the Bermuda kids love the inside of the bus, because they will be sitting about 1.5 hours a day in one. Quality time with the bus driver; instead of Mom and Dad.