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Don't Cut Education; Go Ahead, Bill Us

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By DEREK MAUL | The Brandon News

Published: March 24, 2009

The small rallies on Wall Street recently provided many investors with a glimpse of hope. Maybe the economic slide will begin to ease? Maybe there's more good news to come? Maybe recovery is on the way?

"Maybe" is a good word in today's climate, but any way you slice it, Hillsborough County Schools Superintendent MaryEllen Elia and the seven-member school board still have their work cut out for them between now and next year's looming fiscal reality.

A variety of budget-busting measures already are targeting $95.6 million. That's a creditable savings, but the final numbers may involve as much as $160 million in cuts.

State revenue is dwindling, government income from taxes is still rolling back as housing values drop and federal Troubled Asset Relief Plan allotments may or may not trickle all the way down to the classroom.

So it's reduce here, re-use there and recycle when possible. Come August, our school system likely will resemble a car parked for too long near a chop-shop, jacked up and stripped, hood open, trunk ajar, wheels missing and fuel drained.

Although it's laudable to witness school administrations scrambling to save money, education is not one of those areas that should see funding rise and fall with the tide of fortune. Our commitment to the future is on the line, and our children are worth a more significant investment.

This is education we're talking about. It's not a luxury, it's a necessity. We need to look seriously at what we have to do to give our school board the confidence to move forward without so much "nip and tuck" that our classrooms look like Frankenstein-esque science projects bolted together with spare parts.

Most people won't like what I'm about to say, but plummeting revenue could be offset significantly by a temporary assessment designed to plug the gap. Home assessments may appraise 30 percent less this year, on average, but that does not mean each child's education is any less our collective responsibility.

Hillsborough County's population is estimated at 1.17 million, with about 400,000 households, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Assessments of $200 per household would yield $80 million in revenue.

We should all be upset when Wall Street executives cash in bonuses from bailout money. But it's something else to ante up for education.

Go ahead, send us the bill. It's money well-spent.

Derek Maul can be reached at derekmaul@gmail.com.

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