MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Va. – Making money match in Montgomery County.
School board members want more money for teacher raises, highlighting the urgency of the recent strike in West Virginia. Now it's up to the board of supervisors to see if they can find the funds.
"This year, we felt like we made a very reasonable request. 2.3 million is really what we call bare-bones," said Connie Froggatt, vice chair of the Montgomery County School Board.
Montgomery County's proposed $189 million budget for the next fiscal year allocates $1.5 million in new revenue to the schools, but the district is requesting $2.3 million. School board members say that money would help with capital improvements like new buses and technology upgrades, but it would also help provide teacher salary increases.
"We just need to support our teachers. We are one of the lowest paying divisions in our area," said Froggatt.
Trying to make up the difference, the Board of Supervisors will look at all avenues, including a tax hike while also watching the proposed House budget in the General Assembly. It would allocate an extra $300,000 for Montgomery County Schools.
"Now we're going to see if we can make up that 8 percent either through additional state funding, perhaps a tax sale, and there may be other supervisors who are supportive of a tax increase," said Chris Tuck, chairman of the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors.
The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors will meet Monday for a budget work session where they expect to hear from the superintendent and concerned citizens on both sides.