Budget Feud Threatens Tennessee Schools

The state’s budget woes have forced at least two counties to postpone the start of the school year and raised the possibility of teacher layoffs.

“We’re either going to have to cut academic programs and teaching positions or cut our transportation budget,” said Dave Rhodes, superintendent of Perry County schools. “We’re looking at a combination of both right now.”

Many school systems, especially those in rural counties, put off building maintenance and hiring teachers while the Legislature debated a budget bill and stayed in session well into July.

The $19.6-billion budget passed amid noisy protests at the Capitol against an income tax, but Gov. Don Sundquist vetoed it as fiscally irresponsible. Lawmakers overrode the veto, clearing the way for release of state funding to schools.

But since school budgets are based on state funding and local tax revenues, commissioners watching the lengthy state budget debate became more conservative and refused to sign off on additional funding.

The 12 schools in Perry and Henderson counties will delay opening by several days. Schools in Washington County have postponed raises for non-teaching employees. Wilson County schools are debating whether to cut the number of teachers or eliminate athletics to deal with a $1.8-million shortfall.

Judith Morgan, spokeswoman for the state Education Department, said many of Tennessee’s 95 counties are caught between a local funding controversy and “the state not wanting to raise taxes.”

Most school officials agree cuts would not be necessary if Tennessee would reform its tax structure.

“Including the tobacco money, they’ve used just about everything,” said Grant Rowland Jr., director of Washington County schools.

The governor has lobbied in vain for new taxes--including business and income levies--to reduce the state’s reliance on its sales tax.

Without an overhaul of the tax structure, officials say Tennessee may lose teachers to neighboring Georgia, which offers salaries up to $10,000 a year more.