May 14th, 2014 by WCBC Radio
Allegany County Board of Education President Laurie Marchini expressed the school board’s growing frustration last night with the county commissioners for what the board believes to be inadequate funding. The school board requested a 3% increase this year, but the county’s preliminary budget, while providing maintenance of effort, actually decreases the amount of funding from last year based on a decline in student population. Finance Director Randy Bittinger and Superintendent David Cox says following budget projections based on the best available data, the board’s reserve fund will be completely depleted in two years. Several board members noted that the commissioners are actually making a profit from the state mandated pension shift introduced two years ago. Board member Mike Llewellyn says that the board will need to start cutting programs- and perhaps even consider more drastic measures in the near future….
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