[2/25/04]Any return to community schools could be put on hold if state legislators do not fund education at budgeted levels, Vicksburg Warren School District Superintendent James Price said.

Price, who will present his case for revamping elementaries at a cost of about $10.5 million tonight, was confident there would be no reductions in state money.

“I’m very optimistic that our delegates, led by Sen. Mike Chaney, will do all within his power to see to it that K-12 is fully funded,” Price said.

Chaney, R-Vicksburg, is chairman of the Senate Education Committee.

Tuesday, House Speaker Billy McCoy, D-Rienzi, presented a House budget to fund education despite a proposal by the Joint Legislative Budget Committee that called for a $161 million reduction statewide. The cut would have meant about a $3.3 million shortage for the VWSD, operating on a $59.5 million spending plan this year that combines state, local and federal income.

“If we were short $3 million (in state money), there might be a millage increase of 2 or 3 mills (in local taxes),” Price said, adding that he has serious doubts that would happen.

If that should occur, Price said his $10.5 million community school proposal would be reconsidered.

“I owe it to the people in this community to give it an honest reassessment to see whether we can do it,” he said.

To cover a state shortfall plus community schools would require a local tax increase large enough to trigger a citizen referendum, something the district, created in 1987, has never done.

About 49 percent of the district’s budget this year comes from the state and about 33 percent is provided by local taxpayers which includes taxes on homes, cars, industries and businesses. The rest comes from federal sources and tuition, admissions fees, donations and sale of meals.

Last week, Chaney introduced a bill that would shift funds from the School Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund to the Mississippi Adequate Education Fund, putting the burden back to the local district.

Last year, the district received $832,522 from the tax reduction fund.

Price said the district could probably make up for that shortage without raising the millage rate.

“We would have to look at every cent very closely. Of course, we already do, but some maintenance projects, like new roofing, would have to be put on hold,” he said.

Though Price said he was certain that legislators would find a way to fund education almost fully, he said if there were a shortfall in funds, a combination of things would happen, including:

Making sure all classrooms were filled to capacity so that teaching positions could be eliminated through attrition.

Cutting costs with support services including utilities and maintenance.

Modifying the Fleet Replacement Plan, which calls for replacing 10 percent of buses each year.

Taking a look at the pay increases for certified personnel. In the past, when teachers get a 6 percent raise, all other certified personnel did as well.

“I don’t expect to have to implement any of these drastic measures to reduce costs,” he said. “I have every expectation that the advances made in K-12 education funding over the past years will be maintained.”

The Legislature was praised by educators last year for fully funding education early in the 2003 regular session. State elections were in November.