Schools Could Close For Budget Shortfall

The schools' budget falls so short now administrators say schools could be closed.  At Tuesday's finance meeting, a proposed budget was presented, which makes up the twenty million dollar deficit, but adds more to the chopping block.

21st Century is one of the schools in this proposal that could be in its last year.  At the meeting, the school system warned that big steps must be taken to cut big chunks out of their expenses.  But, they say the bad news is this is simply a bandaid over a budget that could remain in the red.

Rick Skiles is fed up with the fate of the Hamilton County Schools budget.  "It just makes me sick every time I see it happening, it's year after year after year."

Tuesday, he and many others came to listen to the proposal for next year, which is 20 million dollars short.

Financial advisor Tommy Kranz says the budget needs chopping.  At the top of the list, 2 million dollars from the central office, funds cut from transportation and textbooks, 25 assistant principals, plus 105 other positions including teachers.  That's all added on to the 199 teachers who accepted early retirement packages.

Kranzy says, "That's real, those are people, that's real job cuts."

But it's not just positions that would be cut, the plan calls for some school cuts as well, like Howard Middle, where adminsitrators say it's unsuitable for some students.>

Superintendent Doctor Jim Scales says the school is in deplorable condition, and they could take all the middle schoolers out, send them to nearby schools, and move other non-instructional facilities like offices and daycares into that building.

But some say the school system is building and closing schools with no plan.

Skiles says, "I think we're here for a bailout, Signal Mountain has new school, Apison is new, 2 more, now somebody has to close there's and it doesn't make sense to me, we're bailing out people for bad decisions."

But now administrators say some decision must be made, either this year or next.  Board member kenny Smith says, "I personally think we're too far along this year to be closing schools for next year."

But Kranz adds, "All of us went to schools and none of us want to see those buildings go down, no one wants to see our old homes go down."

The school system says these are just proposals for possible school closings and they will be holding community meetings to ask your opinion on which schools should shut down.  But, the budget must be finalized by April 1st.