tuesday's joint schools/county commissioners meeting

Orange County and Chapel Hill/Carrboro City schools met Tuesday with the Orange County Board of Commissioners to present their proposed budgets for the next fiscal year.

Chair Steve Halkiotis compared the current recession and budget cycle to the Depression, saying the last time public school funding was cut was during that era.

Superintendent Patrick Rhodes gave the budget presentation, saying funding cuts from the county and state would be "a serious double whammy."

The district's fund balance is down significantly from several years ago, and rested at just a little more than $1 million, at the time of the last audit. Rhodes said the district is committed to not spending that money to make up for any shortfalls.

The cuts made during the 2008-2009 school year combined with the cuts the district may have to make to survive this budget cycle amount to 10 percent, Rhodes said.

For that and other reasons, Rhodes asked the commissioners to cut the per pupil by $139 instead of the $189 commissioners proposed. Board of Education members decided to go this route at their last work session, Friday, April 24.

Rhodes said the district has tried to make cuts that wouldn't affect the classroom, but decreasing the per pupil allotment by $189 would force them to make those cuts.

He said the district is facing, among other things, cuts in state at-risk funds, which would hurt children and families who need help the most.

Board member Eddie Eubanks said he hoped commissioners would be able to make up for that loss.

"I think it's not appropriate to balance the budgets on the backs of those least able to withstand it," he said.

Halkiotis said he hoped commissioners would be able to help the district.

"Help us any way you can because we're not going to get help from Raleigh," he said. "I'm not looking to the east anymore. I'm looking right at home."

Chapel Hill/Carrboro City Schools, meanwhile, also presented their budget. Their big issues were whether or not Elementary No. 11 and the arts wing addition to Carrboro High Schools would be built as originally planned. BOCC Chair Valerie Foushee said that was "uncertain."

For more, see Wednesday's News of Orange County.