"It's Never Enough"
And in Arlington County the taxpayers end up paying more because of the sweetheart deal between the County Board and the School Board. Oh yes, technically the two boards call it the Revenue Sharing Agreement (RSA), whereby the public, or government, schools get a predetermined amount of tax revenue. [for complete details of the current RSA, see agenda item C.7. of the School Board’s December 18, 2007 meeting]
If you doubt the above assertion, consider the relationship between the two boards in Fairfax County described in today’s Washington Post. The headline of the Post report pretty much tells it all -- “Teachers Criticize Fairfax Budget.” In the report, Amy Gardner writes:
“In affluent Fairfax County, it's never enough. That was the lesson yesterday for the county Board of Supervisors, which approved its annual budget amid criticism -- not for raising taxes but for inadequately funding the public schools. (emphasis added)
“Supervisors gave final approval yesterday to a $3.1 billion spending plan that raises the property tax by three pennies, to 92 cents per $100 of assessed value. Most of the new money, about $45 million, will go to the public schools. But it was less than the School Board had asked for -- and that drew a rebuke from teachers, who sent out a sharply worded postcard over the weekend in anticipation of the supervisors' vote.
“The card, mailed to the Fairfax Education Association's 6,500 members, said supervisors have placed "your promised 3 percent raise in jeopardy." The card was referring to the likelihood that the School Board will trim teachers' cost-of-living increases to 2 percent to balance the school budget in the wake of the county's action.”
Consider the sweetheart RSA deal Arlington’s two board have. The two boards let staff workout the details so there will be no “tension” about budget priorities between the two boards when the Manager and Superintendent propose their budgets two months later.
Not to mention county supervisors seemingly unafraid of criticizing their school board. For evidence, consider this from the Post’s report:
“Supervisor Sharon S. Bulova (D-Braddock), chairman of the board's budget committee, said school supporters have always wanted more than the county has given them. She said it's a function of living in an affluent county with a vocal community of parents and teachers, many of whom would rather pay higher taxes than jeopardize school class size, teacher pay and other education programs.
“Bulova recalled a year when supervisors gave the schools all the money they asked for, and still the School Board asked for more. "No matter what we give them, it's never enough," she said with a smile.” (emphasis added)
If you think it's time for the Arlington County Board to retire the sweetheart Revenue Sharing Agreement to the dustbin of history, please tell the Board. Just click-on the “Contact the County Board” link in the right column. Tell them ACTA sent you!