Budget Committee Approves Cuts to School Budget

The Budget Committee of the Sumner County Commission last night approved a School Budget that includes $5 million in cuts and that would lead to the loss of 91 jobs and the closing of E B Wilson Night School.

Commissioners expressed a willingness to transfer over $500,000 to the schools to allow the School Board to keep 36 bookkeepers and 4 athletic trainers for the remainder of the school year.

Commissioners refused to make any commitments beyond that, meaning even if their recommendations are adopted by the school board, 51 people will lose their jobs by December.

The proposed cuts require all administrators to take a 1.2-1.3% pay cut. High School teachers will have to cover classes instead of having subs.

Director of Schools Del Phillips noted that what is a "hangnail" this year will become a problem that requires "cutting off our arm" next year.

He noted that even with the cuts, the Board will have spent all allowable funds in reserve, meaning there will likely be a $5 million shortfall next year unless some new revenue was made available.

Commissioners expressed reluctance to make new revenue available, saying they could only find new money from a tax increase. As has been noted in these pages, a 15 cent tax increase would cost the average Sumner County property owner just $5 a month. That amount would be sufficient to fill the budget hole this year and allow for at least a status quo budget in 2012-2013.

At the meeting, a 6th-grade student presented the Commissioners with over $100 she and her friends had raised by selling lemonade over the weekend. They said they would do more to help schools.

As the meeting ended, the plastic bag was left on the podium, an available source of revenue that meets this Commission's sole criteria: It doesn't require raising taxes.