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State cuts force Natchez-Adams schools, Co-Lin to re-budget
Published Sunday, September 13, 2009
NATCHEZ — Facing a second straight year of state mandated budget cuts, the Natchez-Adams School District is learning to make do with less.
The district learned of the cuts totaling more than $820,000 late last week.
Margaret Parson the, district’s business manager, said the cuts are particularly difficult to deal with since the district had already budgeted for the funding.
“Now we just have to rework the budget,” Parson said. “It’s difficult.”
Last year more than $600,000 was cut from the district’s budget, and since 2005, with the exception of 2008, the district has received cuts or not received state allocations totaling more than $3.7 million, Parson said.
While Parson said the district has not scheduled any specific cuts in the budget to compensate for the state’s cuts, “belt-tightening” will be needed.
The bulk of the state’s cuts, approximately $790,000, were made to funding the district uses to pay for salaries, utilities, instructional office supplies and transportation.
And since more than 80 percent of the district’s budget is consumed by state regulated teachers’ salaries, finding other ways to pay the district’s teachers, and other employees, is not easy Parson said.
Parson said while the district also receives money from the federal government, none of that money can be reallocated in any way to make up for the state’s cuts.
“We can’t touch that at all,” she said.
District Superintendent Anthony Morris said while the school board has yet to take action to address the funding cuts, he believes they will take action to reduce the amount of each department’s budget by an undetermined percentage.
Morris said he believes the department heads would then be directed to make cuts as they see fit.
But both Morris and Parson said finding room to make those cuts would be difficult.
“The budget is so lean, there isn’t much room to make cuts,” Morris said. “We’re not sure of the total impact.”
And the NASD isn’t the only local education entity impacted by the cuts.
Copiah-Lincoln Community College President Ronnie Nettles said the college also lost funding as a result of the cuts.
However, Co-Lin’s cuts were not nearly as drastic as those seen in the district, Nettles said.
Of the college’s $10.5 million state appropriation, Co-Lin will lose approximately $500,000.
While Nettles said the college is taking action to limit any unnecessary spending, like in travel, the cuts won’t harm the school.
“This won’t have a direct impact on our operations,” Nettles said.
Gov. Haley Barbour said the cuts were necessary to make up for a $171.9 million budget shortfall that resulted in lower than expected state revenues.
Comments
Posted by mrbobo (anonymous) on September 13, 2009 at 2:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What i found interesting is that with all the necessary cuts the gov. didn't have to cut the state's department of corrections budget. I reckon his thinking is it's just always easier to lock someone up than to educate them.
Posted by DTownStar (anonymous) on September 13, 2009 at 3:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Mrbobo you are very right!!!!!When you are locked up the state has to pay... My tax $ and yours... The more people locked up = more $ for them...
Posted by unclered (anonymous) on September 13, 2009 at 5:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It is clear what Haley Barbour's priorities are, and education is not one of them.
Posted by LOVESNATCHEZ (anonymous) on September 13, 2009 at 6:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is very disturbing news. The very force that is trying to educate the future of our nation and there isn't enough money to do so? Oh well, let's build a 15 million dollar ballpark!!!
Posted by shelockholmes (anonymous) on September 13, 2009 at 7:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Who is building a fifteen million dollar park?
Posted by mrmojorisin (anonymous) on September 13, 2009 at 8:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The school system doesn't put money in Barbour's pocket...the prison industry does. He's just another politician on the take.
But anyway, maybe now (doctor) Morris will see where he and his staff of racists can take a pay cut...he makes over $100,000 and most of his staffers(?) make more than our Mayor!
And what does he produce for all that money? One of the top ten worst school systems in the state.
Reminds me of the guy that ran Merrill-Lynch into backruptcy and at the same time spent $85,000 on his private privvy........seems both are full of poo-poo! Next thing you know Morris will be handing out performance bonuses!!!
--mojo
Posted by southernbelle (anonymous) on September 13, 2009 at 9:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It's obamatime ! Everybody but the government has to tighten their belts .
Posted by LOVESNATCHEZ (anonymous) on September 13, 2009 at 9:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Shelock", I'm not really sure of the cost, but I'm referring to the recreation complex that will be on the november ballot. I don't know where all the money comes from for schools, I'm just asking how we can build a complex when we can't keep our schools running, can't keep the grass cut and can't even afford to tear down dilapadated houses....
Posted by Crakalakin (anonymous) on September 13, 2009 at 10:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
They always threaten to cut, or actually cut, schools budgets first. It softens up people for the coming tax increase.
If there is one proven way to get the general public behind a tax increase, it is to cut funding to education. People throw a fit then the government says, "Well, we'll have to raise taxes to pay for it."
That is exactly how California got in such bad shape, tax-wise. Old trick but obviously still effective.
Posted by shelockholmes (anonymous) on September 13, 2009 at 10:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Lovesnatchez I do believe there was a 5 million dollar cap on the complex. I can say for sure the state is not paying for it.
You should ask anyone who owns a resturant if they support this complex, a lot of them are struggling right now and they think this will bring in much needed customers. This is about ecconomic development first with the children benefitting as a by product. You should ask someone in Laurel what they think about their new complex. PS did you see the end of year balance the county had 1.8 million.
Posted by frogprincenessntz (anonymous) on September 13, 2009 at 11:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
LOVESNATCHEZ...Before our city pays someone to cut grass(and it has been reported that we can hire it done for many times less), or to pay to tear down dilapidated houses, they need to put that money on our streets. Winter will eventually take care of the grass and some of the houses are only eyesores to a handful of neighbors, but most of the people use the roads. Pass an ordinance where a fine can be added to the tax rolls for dilapidated houses. That puts the onus back on the owners of the house. If derelicts are using the house, report them to the police. If they are rousted out often enough, they will find somewhere else to go. A city needs to pay for the things that serve the greater amount of citizens first, such as police, fire, roads, etc. and if there is money left over(laughable right) use that to benefit one block of the city. We have not been tearing down dilapidated houses over the last 100 years and the whole city is not dilapidated. Those bad houses constitute a tiny problem and it should be way down on the list of priorities.
Posted by Hardcorps (anonymous) on September 13, 2009 at 11:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
mojo I read yesterday where morris makes $130,000 and his wife makes another $60,000 as a secretary or something. It is a shame that these prejudiced people have run our school system down in the mud.
Posted by shoppinglady15 (anonymous) on September 13, 2009 at 3:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If you want to see what head educators are paid, request it through "open records", there is a lot of room for improvement in Natchez; not just the schools but the city itself. Maybe if all "travel", "cars taken home" and "reimbursement" was cut out there wouldn't need to be all of the "cuts" everyone is talking about. The childrens education should come first.
Posted by beammeupscotty (anonymous) on September 13, 2009 at 5:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is so Mississippi. Cut education first, we are at the bottom so cut it to the bone it doesn't matter. You can only be so dumb. We don't need teachers, we need administrators so they will be there to spend whatever funds are available, on themselves.
Posted by Kaintuck (anonymous) on September 13, 2009 at 6:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Parents: If you have kindergarten or elementary school-age children, please, please read with them daily. This is one of THE most important investments you can make in the future of your children. The time spent is great for parent/child bonding too, and will go a long way toward alleviating the growing financial and social deficits already apparent in the contemporary school system.
Posted by Krogers (anonymous) on September 13, 2009 at 9:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree Hardcorps-- school administrators are way overpaid.....
the teachers should be paid more than the administrators, the payscale is upside down....
and you guys that run down Barbour,-- for one thing I don't believe it's the Governor that sets the budget, while he does put his signature on the legislation, but it's a lot better to make cuts, than to spend what you DON"T HAVE.....or turn loose criminals, ......
It's time to cut administration salaries, if each administrator and principal gave up 25% that would probably add a million dollars......
instead of cutting necessities that will effect students, cut salaries of administration
Posted by Crakalakin (anonymous) on September 14, 2009 at 8:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"instead of cutting necessities that will effect students, cut salaries of administration"
The point is not to save money, the point is to get the public demanding a tax increase.
Why would education and schools get cut first? Of all tax dollars spent, education dollars are some of the most important. Why, logically, would they not be near the last in line for budget cuts. Our city employees get free cars but we cut funding to schools?
This is about building up support for a tax increase. People can say, "This is SO Mississippi" but California is where this shell game got popular. Now it seems to be a standard tactic.
This isn't about education or kids. It's about government playing you like a fiddle to get you to support a coming tax increase. Mark my words, its coming.
Posted by marinefrmntz (anonymous) on September 14, 2009 at 11:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What a shame. They are cutting education when this is the key to get people out of poverty and keep them out of the criminal justice system.
Posted by NAMVET (anonymous) on September 15, 2009 at 10:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm willing to bet, if the "Superintendent" of all of the schools in the USA were give up 25% of their base salary, there would be a surplus of monies for every school in our nation. Why does every school need all of these administrators????? There is to much "goverment" in our school systems. In 1964, the goverment stepped into our schools to raise the level of education of one group of people up to the level of another group.
After 45 years, it has managed to lower the level of both groups to below the lowest level of the lowest group. Our children are not getting any quality of education today.
Posted by juju (anonymous) on September 15, 2009 at 6:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
marinefrmntz, You've got it wrong. Poverty doesn't cause crime nor low test scores. My grandparents were children of sharecroppers and my grandmother was Valedictorian and went to LSU. And she wasn't a criminal! I grew up poor and I graduated Cum Laude and have a Master Degree. These excuses are crap and I get tired of reading this or race somehow tied in to every story in this forum! This mindset weakens our country. NO OTHER COUNTRY in the world operates pouring money and freebees down the toilet like we do, and jumping when everyone whines for more. This is the spoiled greed that other countries hate us for.
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