Chesterfield schools seek public’s help dealing with budget woes
Chesterfield County school officials have invited about 700 members of the community to hear a pitch for financial and volunteer help in light of looming budget cuts.
The county sent letters to people identified as "respected, influential leaders," according to the letter, though the meetings are open to anyone. The next is Thursday at 7 p.m. at Midlothian High School.
In the first meeting last Thursday, Tim Bullis, school communications director, told about 50 attendees to become advocates for the school system.
School officials are following up on recommendations from a communications audit last year by the National School Public Relations Association. The goal is to form a network of people who would meet quarterly with Superintendent Marcus J. Newsome to hear about what's going on in schools and provide feedback.
-- Juan Antonio Lizama
Reader Reactions
Henrico does not have a budget shortfall that would require drastic cuts (on the school end at least). There might be a small trim to the “extras” but no one will be losing their jobs or have their salary decreased. Some vacancies may not be filled and no one will be getting a raise. Most wasteful spending and areas to save aren’t in the school building but in central offices. There are many administrative areas that could stand to be cut (Blackberries for the school board?) in an effort to save money when needed. Also, it’s less costly to reimburse employees for mileage than it is to maintain a fleet of vehicles. All aspects of government and business should consider this.
If you want to see something that will make your blood boil go to these Chesterfield Observer web sites. They have listed the pay of all school employees, County officials, Henrico school employees and Henrio county officials.
You will quickly see by the number of employees making over $75,000/yr why your taxes are so high and the deficit is out of control. Bottom line salaries are out of control.
http://www.chesterfieldobserver.com/COMMON/Salaries_07/Chesterfield_School.htm
http://www.chesterfieldobserver.com/COMMON/Salaries_07/Chesterfieldcounty_2.htm
http://www.chesterfieldobserver.com/COMMON/Salaries_07/Henrico_Schools.htm
http://www.chesterfieldobserver.com/COMMON/Salaries_07/Henrico_county.htm
I’m sure that Chesterfield will be flooded with volunteers to help take personal items of the excess high paid hogs feeding off their tax money to their vehicles.
Cut the school administration staff 40 percent. Reduce the salaries of every employee making over $100,000 by 25 percent. Reduce the pay of those making $75,000 by 15 percent. Reduce the superintendents pay 50 percent and revoke all perks.
Next start on the Police, Fire and EMS overpaid under-worked big ego hog trough. That dynasty has been needing cleaning up for years now.
Chesterfield is a county pretending it’s at a state level and bleeding the taxpayers dry.
Solve the purported “crisis” by [a] cutting census of non-essential [teachers, police, fire] employees by 10%; freezing wages/benefits for County employees costing less than $125,000/yr; [c] reducing the wages/benefits of those > $125,000/yr by 20%; and [d] using the glut of highly-competent unemployed professionals to replace County employees [especially those hired over the past 5 years] at 60% of their pay.
Chesterfield County officials are in “denial” ... they have refused to recognize the “elephant in the room” and only a few weeks ago said “nobody saw this coming”.
Unbelievable!
Does Henrico county have a similar budget shortfall, just curious.
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