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NHC School Board approves budget, cuts may come

Submitted by WWAY on Wed, 07/08/2009 - 12:09pm.READ MORE:
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Despite not knowing how much money it will get from the state, the New Hanover County School Board Tuesday night approved its 2009-2010 budget. Board members unanimously approved the $211 million budget. But because there is not yet a finalized state budget, there may have to be some amendments down the road. Depending on how much money the board gets from the state, 33 employees may have to be let go, which would include 21 teaching assistants and the rest clerical and maintenance positions. Nick Rhodes of the New Hanover County School Board said, "We have prioritized things and the things that are below the line, we're trying to move them back up. Our main objective is to protect the classroom and make sure there's no impact on instruction delivery." The school board expects to learn about its state budget allocation by July 15th.

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New Hanover Budget Cuts

Submitted by Robert (not verified) on Wed, 07/08/2009 - 3:15pm.
As I understand it, most of the cuts were simply making positions frozen permanent cuts. The number of actual cuts were relatively few. So, the county has not really made any tough sacrifices to date at all. Politics as usual.
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School Board Cowards

Submitted by Becky (not verified) on Wed, 07/08/2009 - 1:31pm.
Why not fill the positions that are open, keep the jobs, teach the kids, help the disabled kids, pay the assistants living wages, why not stand up to the state and county and DEMAND that they educate our kids? Why not DEMAND our money back from the lottery that Perdue stole? Why not help our kids before paying one more cent for a civic center or Airlie Gardens? Get tough! Priority number one. KIDS!
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Wrong

Submitted by WilmingtonMAJ on Thu, 07/09/2009 - 9:57am.
Why not change the way taxes are spent so that those of us without children don't have to pay for them. How about THAT! My number one priority couldn't be farther from children. Reduce crime, raise property values, bring in new business, etc... Why should I have to pay to educate other people's kids? Tell me that!
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Because if you don't pay to

Submitted by mommy guest (not verified) on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 8:14am.
Because if you don't pay to educate the children in this country there will be more crime, property values will plummet and there will be no more new business. How's that for a reason?
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BTW

Submitted by Guest7969 (not verified) on Thu, 07/09/2009 - 6:35pm.
those children...are the ones that are going to run this place when we get OLD....BETTER HOPE they know what the flip they're doing! Invest in their future...
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Wronger

Submitted by Guestdood (not verified) on Thu, 07/09/2009 - 6:12pm.
Why should my taxes go to pay for old people to get a meal brought to them? Why tax me for dredging the inlet, renourishing the beaches,why tax me for police protection, I got a gun. Why tax me for YOUR social security, when I get be your age there won't be any left, you will have spent it all with your 2nd hip replacement. Who educated you? Time to pay it back Scrooge.
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Because those children are

Submitted by Guest987654 (not verified) on Thu, 07/09/2009 - 2:21pm.
Because those children are going to grow up one day and be YOUR doctors, lawyers, accountants, etc. DUH!
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haha

Submitted by WilmingtonMAJ on Thu, 07/09/2009 - 2:43pm.
Not this boy. The education system here is nearly beyond repair. I think i'll just get some smart immigrant children from Asia to be my doctors, lawyers & accountants!
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Thank you for making my

Submitted by Guest987654 (not verified) on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 8:21am.
Thank you for making my point!
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Our Kids!!!

Submitted by Guest10 (not verified) on Thu, 07/09/2009 - 10:14pm.
Hey WilmingtonMAJ - how did you get your education? public schools? how did the people you work for get their education? public schools? probably. The problem with society today...it's all about ME! Look at ME! I don't care about anyone but ME! Communities that focus on their future make it, which is why we are having problems in our spoiled, narcisistic, selfish world. Get off the reality TV and do something good for your community.
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Well

Submitted by WilmingtonMAJ on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 11:45am.
As a matter of fact I went to private schools and graduated from Duke, a private college. Listen...here is the thing that really gets me. In all fairness I was making an extreme and semi-sarcastic remark. I don't mind paying taxes to support education, but what I do mind is people saying this is the most important issue and we should cut out everything else before education is cut. It's a government program like others and is subject to belt-tightening when things get rough. The system is HUGELY flawed with teacher unions that allow horrible teachers to remain in their jobs forever despite low test scores and bad performance. Just like the auto industry, unions have ruined this one as well. In any event, I digress. I don't mind paying taxes and I pay far more than most people do, and i'm happy to do it because that's how our system works and how our government runs. My issue is simply when people who CHOOSE to have children think that their children should come before all else. Many of us choose not to have kids and not to increase the population issues our country and planet face and I think too often we don't get credit for it. Thats all i'm saying. If you want to take me to task on it go for it, but the cold hard fact is that in my experience 90% of people with children look down on those who don't, yet expect everyone to collectively pay for their kids education. Again, i'm happy to do it, but don't look down on me :)
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Thank you for making my

Submitted by Guest987654 (not verified) on Thu, 07/09/2009 - 3:24pm.
Thank you for making my point as to why everyone should value providing a good education to our children.
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Money should be spent on our

Submitted by county resident (not verified) on Thu, 07/09/2009 - 8:27am.
Money should be spent on our kids--having enough textbooks, keeping teacher assistants, reducing class size. How can New Hanover County justify paying the director of Airlie Gardens over $106,000 per year? How can the county in good conscience pay "these fat cats" when our children lack good, quality education? This is absolutely absurd. New Hanover County officials need to get their priorities straight.
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Why does everyone think

Submitted by mountaingirl (not verified) on Thu, 07/09/2009 - 11:36pm.
Why does everyone think MONEY is the answer to everything? How did Abraham Lincoln ever become president? He borrowed books and READ and taught himself!!!!! Teach our children to read. First, our teachers need to have a place in which to teach - discipline students so teachers can do their jobs instead of playing the role of police officer.
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Agreed!

Submitted by WilmingtonMAJ on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 11:47am.
This is what i'm talking about. This person is complaining about the county spending money on gardens for people to enjoy. I don't have kids so she/he is essentially saying cut all spending for everyone so people with kids can have it easier. This is a big issue. I don't have kids, but guess what, I love to enjoy airlie gardens and the many parks where I walk my dogs. Schools? Not so much! I'm happy to pay into the system and do so quite a bit, but I do expect to get a little something out of it! They get education for their kids, I get parks. It's a give and take!
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wilmingtonmaj

Submitted by county resident (not verified) on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 7:16pm.
Unlike yourself I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth. The point I was trying to make was where is our priorities? I am all for Airlie Gardens and Public Parks but in this era of tight budgets why go after the school system. In alot of cases the only positive influence kids have is what is offererd them at school, and programs that get cut may make a difference in a young persons life. Let us look real hard somewhere else before going after an all ready strapped school system.
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MONEY FOR SCHOOLS

Submitted by MARINDA (not verified) on Wed, 07/08/2009 - 10:40pm.
I just dont understand how they can keep taking funding away for our schools and programs for the children....If they keep taking from the schools our economy will really be screwed when all these children grow up and have poor education because all the goverment officials wanna drive nice cars and wear nice clothes and go on vacation.....Its time to focus on the kids.....Wake up america
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I Agree with you 100%

Submitted by Guest User (not verified) on Wed, 07/08/2009 - 4:44pm.
I Agree with you 100%
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Money

Submitted by JH (not verified) on Wed, 07/08/2009 - 4:16pm.
Because the Gov. professionals need to get their cut of the money. We need to bailout millions of dollar a year for corporate salary and perks. The middle class pay for it, the rich elite continue to live good and maintain their life style. God bless America.
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Budget cuts

Submitted by Guest456 (not verified) on Thu, 07/09/2009 - 6:38pm.
I keep wondering why the state calls the lottery the Nc school lottery. It doesn't seem to me that the money from lottery ticket buying is going into schools.
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Only a small amount goes to the schools

Submitted by WilmingtonMAJ on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 11:49am.
However, this is ok. It's a lottery and their has to be incentive for people to buy tickets for it to work. Thats how it does work. Yes billions are taken in and only millions paid out to schools, but the prizes are huge payouts too. Just how the thing works. No different than a business or bake sale. It costs money to make money!
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