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Updated: May 4th, 2009
Tavares Middle School and other schools in Lake County and in Florida
have been hurt by reductions in budgets. A budget is a spending and
savings plan based upon the availability of money. Our schools,
teachers, sports, and so on are all paid for by our city, county and
businesses here in Lake County as well as from other funding our
Lake County School Board receives from the state.
“The state gives
us 53% of our funding, while 47% of our funding comes from property
taxes throughout Lake County," said Tavares School Board Member,
Debbie Stivender.
A tax is a fee that is paid by the consumer
(that’s you and me) when we buy stuff or when we pay someone to do
something for us. Those fees, also called taxes, then go toward
funding governmental programs and services (like education, roads,
prisons, police, fire, water, etc.)
Ms. Stivender stated that the state’s funding is generated from
taxes collected when people spend their money. This past year
Floridians put the brakes on their spending. That means Florida
collected less money to build, maintain and operate Florida’s
schools.
According to the Central Florida Values Study conducted by
myregion.org, Florida’s economy has depended upon a mass
migration of new residents building new homes and new businesses.
The taxes generated from new construction and new residents spending
their money, helped to fund our education system. Over the past
couple of years, our state has experienced a decline in population
growth. That means less money for us.
Lake County Schools’
Superintendent, Susan Moxley commented, “The Lake County School
Board is anticipating a $14-$22M shortfall.”
Because there is less money to fund our school, either programs will
have to be cut or taxes will have to be raised. We all know the
problem with cutting our extra-curricular programs. It means there
will be less of what it is we love to do! Here’s the problem with
raising taxes... If people are losing their jobs, then they have no
money to pay their taxes or buy stuff, when people stop buying the
state doesn’t collect sales tax, if the state doesn’t collect sales
tax, the school board will be looking to make spending cuts.
The
general fund has been cut which has forced our school board to make
difficult decisions. Either way, it is not going to be easy
for anyone.
As a result, supplements for athletic programs, arts and music
programs, literacy coaches and field trip supplements will be
significantly reduced or cut altogether. This is how the
budget cuts will affect TMS.
"It will be up to individual
schools and parent organizations to provide for their shortfalls
through their fundraising efforts and resourcefulness. Our teachers
will still be there, our classes may have a few more students in
them, but aside from the extras like after school sports, field
trips or travel for large group competitions, much will be the same
as it has been this year," said Stivender.
“If there weren’t any sports or after
school activities or field trips, I really wouldn’t enjoy school as
much as I do now,” says involved TMS student, Jaclyn Williams.
We'll all
just have to wait and see how exactly the budget cuts will affect
the schools.
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