School Budgets getting cut so sharply....school systems may have to resort to....

[ghs73 157]

http://blogs.roanoke.com/theburgs/opinion/2012/02/05/montgomery-schools-6-2-million-deficit/

 

"Thank Gov. Bob McDonnell for this mess. The governor’s proposed budget shortchanges schools by capping the state’s share of some expenses while mandating greater local contributions to the Virginia Retirement System for teachers. Montgomery County is being hammered especially hard — to the tune of $1.9 million — by changes to the Local Composite Index.

 

Add in a local increase to textbook spending for matching funds, and McDonnell can take credit for $5.2 million of Montgomery County’s headache."

 

The LCI will also hammer Wise Co. in the next few years. Property values in NoVa fell with the housing market collapse, while the Burgs are booming and Wise is about to put a $1.5 Billion power plant online, boosting their property value total.

 

Add in their unexpected costs from the closing of BHS after the gym roof collapsed (busing kids to C'burg) and the overall (unexpected) increase in gas prices, and I don't think MCPS is doing to bad of a job.

 

teachers have not paid into the retirement the school boards or counties have done this. i work for the state and i have to pay into the vrs i pay 78 dollars every 2 weeks towards my part of my retirement so i feel teachers and other county town and city employees should also pay into the retirement fund.

[ghs73 157]

You drive on them every day.

 

The roads, and infrastructure by large, in SWVA are leaps and bounds better than anywhere else in the state. Ever driven on 66 once you get into Prince William and Fairfax Counties? Nightmarish.

 

A big plus in SWVA? Coal severance taxes.

 

i would much rather drive on interstate 66 , 95 ,64 or 81 in va than on some of the coal roads and other secondary roads in swva traffic may be slow but pot holes will destroy your car

[hoard 18]

Actually, counties west of Roanoke see a higher percentage of the state's tax dollars flow in than counties east of Roanoke. The numbers back this up, too. And if you're ever in NOVA and just so mention the words "tax dollars", they will assault your ears for a good hour on the topic.

 

Don't shoot the messenger.

 

Location, location, location. I think if SWVa were a stone's throw from the nation's capital things would be a LOT different.

[Deleted Account 5,203]

i would much rather drive on interstate 66 , 95 ,64 or 81 in va than on some of the coal roads and other secondary roads in swva traffic may be slow but pot holes will destroy your car

 

You are referring to Interstates, not U.S. Routes, right?

I've driven on all those roads more times than I care to remember.

 

I-95 is a disaster with the exception of the stretch from south of Petersburg to the NC line.

Once you get past exit 29 on I-66, the road itself is in awful shape. Worst in VA.

Ever driven I-64 from Richmond to VA Beach? You'll never want to again.

 

I-81 is pretty much the only one that I agree is in better shape than most.

 

Location, location, location. I think if SWVa were a stone's throw from the nation's capital things would be a LOT different.

 

That SWVA would fail to get a larger ROI than the rest of Virginia if it were near DC?

I don't believe I follow...

 

A reminder, don't shoot the messenger.

[RichlandsAlum 678]

teachers have not paid into the retirement the school boards or counties have done this. i work for the state and i have to pay into the vrs i pay 78 dollars every 2 weeks towards my part of my retirement so i feel teachers and other county town and city employees should also pay into the retirement fund.

 

I agree with requiring employees to contribute to the retirement system, but I think the General Assembly seriously overstepped the bounds of constitutional authority in requiring localities to give employees a raise.

[Hacker 82]

teachers have not paid into the retirement the school boards or counties have done this. i work for the state and i have to pay into the vrs i pay 78 dollars every 2 weeks towards my part of my retirement so i feel teachers and other county town and city employees should also pay into the retirement fund.

 

State employees did not pay a share of retirement from 1991 or 92 until the current fiscal year. This was done in lieu of a raise during the Wilder Administration. During the period of time that the state was paying both shares of retirement, the General Assembly was chronically under funding VRS, or borrowing from VRS. Rather than pay 5% for the employee's share, some years they paid in 1-2%. The politician's argument was that the rate of return on the investments of VRS were so good that they could be used to offset contributions from the State.

 

So instead of the investments being bankrolled to strengthen the retirement system, they were used to give the politicians more money for pet projects and programs. Now they want the employees to kick back in $$$ to fix the problem. As someone who will benefit from VRS, I have no problem paying a share of my own retirement. I do have a problem with the politicians who created the mess blaming me for their foolishness.

[swvacsas2 15]

One of the biggest problems in Virginia is the constantly repeated actions of the legislature in forcing unfunded mandates on local government. No matter how commendable the intentions- there is a big gap between the urban and rural sections of the state - legislation for one does not fit the other. UVAObserver is right when he talks about our road situation- we are in much better shape tha we realize- also correct when it comes to tax dollar distribution. Over the last forty years Nova has come to furnish a pretty high proportion of tax dollars. The rural percentage of Virginia tax collections has seen a sharp decrease. Bottom line- SWVA gets a lot more back than we pay to the state- a lot more. One threat all SWVA has is the possibility that secondary road upkeep will be transferred to the counties. Governor McDonnell supports it along with some prominent legislators. Counties with severance taxes will be hurt- but not as badly as other rural counties- it will really devastate their budgets.

[RichlandsAlum 678]

One of the biggest problems in Virginia is the constantly repeated actions of the legislature in forcing unfunded mandates on local government. No matter how commendable the intentions- there is a big gap between the urban and rural sections of the state - legislation for one does not fit the other. UVAObserver is right when he talks about our road situation- we are in much better shape tha we realize- also correct when it comes to tax dollar distribution. Over the last forty years Nova has come to furnish a pretty high proportion of tax dollars. The rural percentage of Virginia tax collections has seen a sharp decrease. Bottom line- SWVA gets a lot more back than we pay to the state- a lot more. One threat all SWVA has is the possibility that secondary road upkeep will be transferred to the counties. Governor McDonnell supports it along with some prominent legislators. Counties with severance taxes will be hurt- but not as badly as other rural counties- it will really devastate their budgets.

 

Correct on all counts.

 

With regard to the shift of road maintenance to counties....that seems more a matter of "when" than "if."

[Deleted Account 5,203]

Correct on all counts.

 

With regard to the shift of road maintenance to counties....that seems more a matter of "when" than "if."

 

Completely agree with CSAS, too.

 

And I agree, it's more "when" than "if". SWVA, and particularly the coal mining counties, are better situated than counties in Southside and SEVA to handle the transition. Having done a fair bit of work in the area of roads vis-a-vis county procedure, I have to say that Tazewell County is better equipped than most would think to handle it.

 

Sure, there's going to have to be funding coming in from somewhere. Though I have no knowledge, I would assume that there may be some slight increases to cover for it. But I think that Tazewell's positioned itself well.

[ghs73 157]

You are referring to Interstates, not U.S. Routes, right?

I've driven on all those roads more times than I care to remember.

 

I-95 is a disaster with the exception of the stretch from south of Petersburg to the NC line.

Once you get past exit 29 on I-66, the road itself is in awful shape. Worst in VA.

Ever driven I-64 from Richmond to VA Beach? You'll never want to again.

 

I-81 is pretty much the only one that I agree is in better shape than most.

 

 

 

That SWVA would fail to get a larger ROI than the rest of Virginia if it were near DC?

I don't believe I follow...

 

A reminder, don't shoot the messenger.

 

i have driven on every mile of interstate in va and many of its secondary roads both state and other. i have drived on route 58 from cumberland gap all the way to va beach and route 460 from ky to its end in eastern va. driven every mile of route 11 from winchester to bristol and route 42 end to end and still i would rather be stuck in traffic on the interstates than hitting potholes on the aformentioned routes.northern va is wanting to take highway funds from other parts of va even from charlottesville to build the train to dulles airport so tolls will remain low.my opinion is those that use these roads pay for them. i dont like my taxes to pay for this when they want to take funds away from roads in my area and the rest of va just so they do not have to pay more. but let the rest of us pay for repairs to our cars from potholes that do not get fixed or roads that to not get paved for way to many years and are like washboard to drive on.

[ghs73 157]

State employees did not pay a share of retirement from 1991 or 92 until the current fiscal year. This was done in lieu of a raise during the Wilder Administration. During the period of time that the state was paying both shares of retirement, the General Assembly was chronically under funding VRS, or borrowing from VRS. Rather than pay 5% for the employee's share, some years they paid in 1-2%. The politician's argument was that the rate of return on the investments of VRS were so good that they could be used to offset contributions from the State.

 

So instead of the investments being bankrolled to strengthen the retirement system, they were used to give the politicians more money for pet projects and programs. Now they want the employees to kick back in $$$ to fix the problem. As someone who will benefit from VRS, I have no problem paying a share of my own retirement. I do have a problem with the politicians who created the mess blaming me for their foolishness.

 

i have worked for the state for 9 years and i have paid into my retirement for those years. just the past 2 years the amt. increased to 5 percent

[gcdevils47 10]

You drive on them every day.

 

The roads, and infrastructure by large, in SWVA are leaps and bounds better than anywhere else in the state. Ever driven on 66 once you get into Prince William and Fairfax Counties? Nightmarish.

 

A big plus in SWVA? Coal severance taxes.

 

Well that. But honestly....everything else is terrible. And yes I have, but everything else they have is better.

[futbolking 766]

teachers have not paid into the retirement the school boards or counties have done this. i work for the state and i have to pay into the vrs i pay 78 dollars every 2 weeks towards my part of my retirement so i feel teachers and other county town and city employees should also pay into the retirement fund.

 

The state of VA Borrowed a buttload of money from the VRS to pay for other programs...now they're asking the people they borrowed the money from to pay it back....One thing teachers have to look forward to is a half way decent retirement....if that's taken away....might as well work at Lowes or Wal-Mart.....

 

This wouldn't even be an issue, if the state hadn't taken money away from teachers to fix their problems....

[Deleted Account 5,203]

The state of VA Borrowed a buttload of money from the VRS to pay for other programs...now they're asking the people they borrowed the money from to pay it back....One thing teachers have to look forward to is a half way decent retirement....if that's taken away....might as well work at Lowes or Wal-Mart.....

 

This wouldn't even be an issue, if the state hadn't taken money away from teachers to fix their problems....

 

Education so often is the department from which states borrow their money. It's entirely the wrong way to go about making a budget, taking from one of the only departments that can fiscally stand on its own to supplement those who can't.

 

Unless the department is federally mandated, adapt or die, that's how I look at it. If a department can't cut its weight, slash it to the point it can or stop providing the service.

[ghs73 157]

The state of VA Borrowed a buttload of money from the VRS to pay for other programs...now they're asking the people they borrowed the money from to pay it back....One thing teachers have to look forward to is a half way decent retirement....if that's taken away....might as well work at Lowes or Wal-Mart.....

 

This wouldn't even be an issue, if the state hadn't taken money away from teachers to fix their problems....

 

they take it away from me and i make less than teachers and deal with people much worse than kids in schools they should pay the same for the same retirement that i pay. they get the retirement from the vrs just like i will in 12 years.i work with the mentally ill and on any given day i get hit by an adult spat on cursed out and nothing i can do. cannot send them home to their parents i have to do it all again the next day and every day.

[futbolking 766]

they take it away from me and i make less than teachers and deal with people much worse than kids in schools they should pay the same for the same retirement that i pay. they get the retirement from the vrs just like i will in 12 years.i work with the mentally ill and on any given day i get hit by an adult spat on cursed out and nothing i can do. cannot send them home to their parents i have to do it all again the next day and every day.

 

New teachers won't get nearly the same retirement that current teachers will get....probably the same for folks in your line of work....like I said...what's the incentive to become a teacher or do the kind of job that you do, for the young people graduating from college......they're just as well off working at wal-mart.....it's a shame that educated people...so called "professionals"...don't get treated like professionals.

 

All I can say, is you get what you pay for....the state of VA will find out soon enough, that if they can't attract quality teachers, the quality of education in the state will suffer....The state of WV now pays better than counties in southwest Virginia....and their health insurance costs about 1/2 as much for a family.

 

By the way.....it's awfully hard to send a kid home from school nowadays, too.....

Edited April 30, 2012 by futbolking

[hoard 18]

You are referring to Interstates, not U.S. Routes, right?

I've driven on all those roads more times than I care to remember.

 

I-95 is a disaster with the exception of the stretch from south of Petersburg to the NC line.

Once you get past exit 29 on I-66, the road itself is in awful shape. Worst in VA.

Ever driven I-64 from Richmond to VA Beach? You'll never want to again.

 

I-81 is pretty much the only one that I agree is in better shape than most.

 

 

 

That SWVA would fail to get a larger ROI than the rest of Virginia if it were near DC?

I don't believe I follow...

 

A reminder, don't shoot the messenger.

 

NOVA complains about its tax revenue going elsewhere but the reason its so successful economically is simply because of its location.

 

I know that's stating the obvious, but it ticks me off to listen to people from that area talk about how they carry the state tax-wise, but any area of Virginia would do so if it were fortunate enough to be minutes from the nation's capital. I'm sure SWVA would look much different if the nation's capital were in, say, Bristol.

[Hacker 82]

NOVA complains about its tax revenue going elsewhere but the reason its so successful economically is simply because of its location.

 

I know that's stating the obvious, but it ticks me off to listen to people from that area talk about how they carry the state tax-wise, but any area of Virginia would do so if it were fortunate enough to be minutes from the nation's capital. I'm sure SWVA would look much different if the nation's capital were in, say, Bristol.

 

These are the same folks who howl and rail against the size of government, all the while feeding at the trough either directly or indirectly.

[futbolking 766]

As it should....

 

http://www.roanoke.com/news/breaking/wb/308868

[Deleted Account 5,203]

As it should....

 

http://www.roanoke.com/news/breaking/wb/308868

 

That's significant news. I don't have much of a problem with it, really.

It may disenfranchise the poorest of the poor, but that's a nominal fee compared to what it might've been.

[redtiger 1,742]

cuts should come from athletics before academics, the boosters can help out with the families that can afford to pay.

 

Really $100 isint that much for a full season

[futbolking 766]

cuts should come from athletics before academics, the boosters can help out with the families that can afford to pay.

 

Really $100 isint that much for a full season

 

Yeah....at the rate we're going....we may as well just escort all of the students into the auditorium in the morning and have one big Virtual classroom all day long.....the cutting of staff is getting to the point of ridiculousness (most through attrition)....class sizes are getting outrageously big...

 

Montgomery County hasn't been pro-active enough over the past few years in terms of eliminating positions through attrition / closing schools / reducing administrative staff....etc.... that's one reason they're in the bind they're in...but good lord....I don't think the schools can take much more....

Edited May 17, 2012 by futbolking

[GMan 3,569]

One major issue that put Montgomery Co. in this situation is Blacksburg High School. They didn't plan on having to build a new high school at this point in time...

[RichlandsAlum 678]

One major issue that put Montgomery Co. in this situation is Blacksburg High School. They didn't plan on having to build a new high school at this point in time...

 

Well.... part of the problem is that they don't necessarily have to build a new high school. The B-burg crowd was successful in parlaying the gym issue into a new capital project, but the leadership in Montgomery County doesn't appear to have considered many alternatives.

 

Add that to the fact that they willingly chose to demolish another otherwise acceptable structure (the old middle school) in downtown Blacksburg, and it's kind of hard for me to be terribly sympathetic to the folks in Montgomery.

[GMan 3,569]

Well.... part of the problem is that they don't necessarily have to build a new high school. The B-burg crowd was successful in parlaying the gym issue into a new capital project, but the leadership in Montgomery County doesn't appear to have considered many alternatives.

 

You sure about that? I thought the structural engineers deemed it unsafe and it would cost as much to fix it as it would cost to build a new school.

 

The old middle school was a dump and well past its usefulness as a school.