Extra money eases budget strain for Richmond schools

With economic-stimulus money on the way, the budget process for the Richmond school system got a little easier yesterday.

A windfall from the federal government, plus a slight, unanticipated bump in state funding, means that the city's schools are about $7.8 million short on funding, not the $16 million originally thought. The proposed 2009-10 budget now stands at $261.7 million, down from the current year's $269.6 million.

The School Board is scheduled to vote on the budget at its March 16 meeting. It then will go to the City Council for approval. It will take effect July 1.

The $13.9 million in federal money, spread over two years, means the school system won't have to lay off teachers, furlough employees or close an elementary school, all ideas floated in recent months.

"It's allowing us to delay the pain," Superintendent Yvonne W. Brandon said.

With a vote on Brandon's proposed budget looming, yesterday the School Board held the last of at least 32 meetings on the budget.

Many of the newcomers, led by Vice Chairwoman Kimberly B. Gray, have asked to see a line-item budget.

A core group of veteran members, led by Chairwoman Chandra Smith and Evette L. Wilson, have staked their trust in the staff's pared-down presentation.

"I've been vocalizing this since Day One," Gray said. "I'm just not comfortable voting on this budget. That's not to say I won't, but my comfort level would be at ease if I had a line-item budget."

Brandon and budget director Lynn Bragga said Richmond simply doesn't have a line-item budget and couldn't produce one in the week before the vote. After years of cutting staff in the budget office and in purchasing and procurement, the school system has shifted to site-based budgeting, they said.

Instead of overseeing every penny from downtown, individual account holders -- typically principals and departments heads -- have been allowed the flexibility of managing their own accounts.

"It's not our intention to hide or conceal any information," Brandon said. "Our goal was to develop a succinct budget document."

What the board has received -- categorical overviews for the most part -- is fine with Wilson.

"We have systems in place to examine what they're asking for," she said of other members' continuing requests for more detail. "To micromanage this process, to me, we step over the line.

"If the superintendent tells us this is the budget we need, we have to trust her. We hired her, and we have to hold her accountable."

Brandon said accountability was always the goal.

"I'm willing to provide whatever they want," she said of board requests for more information. "I just need to know the criteria."

Gray said trust wasn't the issue.

"We don't even know what we don't know," she said. "My constituents keep telling me, 'Trust, but verify.'"

Contact Zachary Reid at (804) 775-8179 or .