District dealing with state cuts

State budget cuts have cost Cherokee County School District more than $700,000 in school funding just weeks into the new school year.

The school board approved a $61.8 million budget in June. Citing tax revenue concerns, the state Budget and Control Board ordered a 3 percent budget cut for all state agencies. The total cuts cost the district $736,000 in state funds.

The district will use $500,000 carried over from last year's budget to offset the state budget cut, Cherokee County School Superintendent Dr. Bill James said.

"We are monitoring every dime we spend," James said. "We don't know if this will be the last budget cut."

School trustees approved a $12 million tax anticipation note in June that will be used to operate the schools this fall. The district will borrow the money until tax revenues are received in January.

In addition to the regular budget, county taxpayers are paying a 22 mill tax levy to finance debt from capital projects, a $47 million building program in 1996 and a recently completed $35 million building program. The debt service fund was used last week to pay the district's $62,000 cost in a proposed grant to demolish the Academy Street School in Blacksburg.

The new school construction projects include the Gaffney High stadium and ninth grade additions at Gaffney and Blacksburg High.

Budget revenues did increase 5.3 percent over the previous school year.

James said there was little left to spend after the district dealt with a staterequired pay 3.8 percent teacher raise and increased local funding for teacher salaries to be more competitive with area school districts.

Salaries and benefits account for 90 percent of school district budgets. The district hired only 20 new teachers this school year.

Prior to the budget cut, James said he hoped the district could put additional money into its $4.9 million reserve.

"We want to put have more money in our reserve fund," James said. "This is what we use in the budget to deal with any emergencies that come up during a school year."