School Supporters Organize Swiftly to Oppose Mayor’s Cuts
The emails began flying soon after the words were spoken: the Mayor wants an additional $170,000 in school cuts in order to keep two city employees.
Mayor Robin Gardner’s words occurred Thursday night at a City Council work session. Inquiring of City Manager Wyatt Shields the cost of reinstating the two City positions, Gardner then suggested the money could come from the schools’ budget.
After the electronic grapevine spread the late-night news around town, School Superintendent Lois Berlin crafted her own 3 a.m. email to supporters regarding how much the schools had already cut and why a half-step pay increase for teachers was necessary. PTA officers then used Berlin’s information to begin mobilizing parents to push back when the City Council meets Monday night.
Indicating a remarkably tight relationship between school officials and parent organizations, the quick preparation for battle demonstrates the challenge Gardner will face in trying to further reduce school budgets.
Berlin clearly feels the schools have made ample sacrifice. Responding to the report that “More than one Council member expressed the sentiment that the [School] Board should ‘share the pain,’” Berlin notes that the schools had cut eight full time positions last year and that “no one went to the mat for those positions.”
Furthermore, “the School Board had returned to the City $371,000 in carry forward in the fall to address the City’s shortfall and to do their part in ‘sharing the pain,’” she said.
According to Berlin’s talking points, Falls Church teacher salaries after 10 years average $13,000 less than those in Arlington and $10,000 less than in Alexandria. Moreover, teachers pay 5 percent more for health insurance than do City employees.
Berlin also dismissed the notion that parents should absorb daycare expenses. “Daycare is not a luxury — It is a necessity to ensure safety and security for children,” she wrote.
Whether Gardner will pursue the idea of more school cuts is unclear. What is clear is that she can expect an earful if she does. Said one PTA officer forwarding Berlin’s note to parents, “I will let you know as soon as I hear about the public forum next week so we can get people there to speak.”
(Gardner Photo: Washington Post)
By Stan Fendley, Falls Church City
April 18, 2009
Which two positions is the Mayor trying to hang on to?
I think the greater issue is parity. It just doesn’t seem fair to me, when the entire City budget is taken as a whole, that there will be position cuts on the government side while the school employees get a raise.
I don’t think the exact positions that might have funding returned have been identified and I’m not sure the Council will make that determination themselves.
I know it’s a controversial subject but I don’t think this is a fairness issue. I think the primary thing driving property values in the City (which is the primary thing driving tax revenue) is the school system. At a recent EDA meeting we heard from the Fairfax County EDA head and he pointed out that a primary thing driving economic development in Fairfax County is their school system. If that also applies in Falls Church then we have one thing (the schools) as the primary factor in almost all revenue generation in the City. I think the City needs to do everything it can to keep the schools strong.
In the past the schools have reduced positions when the City staff hasn’t – they don’t have to be connected.
It’s really unfortunate if some City staff folks lose their jobs – that’s a really hard thing to deal with. However, if the teacher turnover rate stays as high as it has been recently then the schools will decline, property values will go down, tax revenue will go down, and more City staff folks will lose their jobs.
I appreciate your comments but I still think the two budgets are connected in the totality. I pay one tax bill. Does anyone have the figures on the turnover numbers referenced? Do all the teachers leave us for better pay in our nearby jurisdictions?