Remember how things were under the old regime? About this time of year, the school board would be predicting dire consequences if the supervisors failed to fully fund the proposed budget. If this did not happen, popular and important programs like football, slots at the governors' schools, teaching positions and so forth would go away. A former superintendent even predicted that a flat budget for the upcoming fiscal year would plunge the schools into a death spiral. Parents panicked and bombarded the supervisors with demands to raise taxes to pay for schools. It was quite ugly. One former school board member even proposed closing Goochland Elementary School to save money.
Since taking office last year, both boar checked their egos at the door and got to work figuring out how to make do without raising taxes. The school budget includes new initiatives like career and technical education, a bit of money for band uniforms and science equipment.
The county budget includes a raise for all employees, new deputies, and keeping the library open for a full schedule.
By putting their heads together instead of butting heads, both boards have managed to find a new bus garage and are investigating possibilities for additional elementary school space in the east end of the county.
In short, collaboration rather than confrontation is finding solutions to problems without raising taxes.
Ronald Regan one said "it's amazing what you can accomplish if you don't care who gets the credit."
If it works here, why can't it work in Washington? Once again, Goochland takes the lead.
1 comment:
"If the ends don't justify the means, what does?"
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