Loudoun School Budget 2014

Boards discuss FY 14 schools budget

At the initiation of the Joint Board of Supervisors/School Board Committee, which I co-chair, both boards met Dec. 19 to discuss the upcoming FY '14 schools budget. This meeting may have been a first. Naturally, the School Board feels it is in a tough position to make $56 million in cuts out of a nearly $877 million proposed budget in order for the Board of Supervisors to deliver on cutting taxes a second year in a row. There is a good article linked below, but some other comments at the meeting were omitted: 1. Both At-Large School Board Member Tom Reed and I reminded everyone about the pending sequestration "Fiscal Cliff," which could raise taxes on all Americans come Jan. 1 AND force layoffs of thousands of Loudoun County residents who work for the U.S. government or federal contractors. Tom said: "The fiscal cliff in Loudoun will be a higher cliff with rocks at the bottom." He is correct. 2. Because of this, I told the panels I would not be interested in any increases in taxes or spending on the County side - -except what the Schools need to accommodate about 2,550 more new students, and funds to meet higher costs. No-one in LCPS could give me a targeted cost-per-pupil efficiency, or provide any data on where funds can't be cut due to mandated state and federal programs. 3. The desire of the Board of Supervisors to cut taxes has been known to the School Board since September when it was unanimously approved by our Finance Committee. The School Board has had ample time to review benefits and personnel -- in reality since last spring when the last budget closed. This is a great School Board, which made heroic cuts last year, and I continue to believe they are going to make Loudoun Schools better -- in large part because they are a diligent bunch of people. 4. The Government Reform and Restructuring Commission has tried since the summer to get cooperation from the LCPS staff on its efforts to SAVE tax dollars by consolidating duplicative staffing in County and LCPS -- like construction, mapping and printing. Dr. Hatrick has pretty much stonewalled this effort, which came to light at our Joint Schools Committee meeting. As a result, the School Board has nothing concrete it can get from the Reform Commission on areas to cut in the coming budget. 5. I floated the idea at the meeting of using special tax districts on new developments to defray some of the cost of future schools construction. It is capital costs, both on the County and Schools side, that is what leads to more debt and higher taxes. My 2011 campaign platform was NOT to "hurt the schools" but to HELP THE TEACHERS and STUDENTS and cut back on administrative areas, capital construction by expanding school sizes and programs that do not add value. All of these ideas, so far, have not received much acceptance from the School Board, nor some of my colleagues on the Board of Supervisors. But so far, neither my BOS colleagues nor School Board members have taken up the charge on these ideas. Furthermore, if you talk to classroom teachers, they will tell you how much they are gypped on supplies and other needs -- some of which they have to pay for out of pocket! I believe this is unreasonable, yet to not require more out-of-pocket for health insurance for part timers. Finally, it is very possible - unless we are pushed over the "Fiscal Cliff" -- that Loudoun could get MORE tax revenue in 2014 due to rising assessments and all the resistance from the School Board will be for naught. But even if Loudoun were awash with funds, I would not waiver one bit, nor should my colleagues, on the goal to INCREASE FUNDS for the CLASSROOM and REDUCE funding in areas that add little value -- like administration. Therefore, I sincerely hope this great reform-minded School Board we elected will make the necessary cuts and reallocations to areas most in need -- our teachers and students. Article on joint meeting on budget

Reid gets Peterson to withdraw courts expansion proposal

Peterson wirthdraws proposal to house courts after Leesburg's Reid's request

The Peterson Company withdrew their proposal to house the courts expansion at the Crosstrail property near the Dulles Greenway after pressure from Leesburg District Supervisor Ken Reid.

Reid said on his Facebook page : "I am pleased the Peterson Co. withdrew their proposal to provide land to build an entirely new courts complex on the Crosstrail property at Battlefield Pwy. and the Dulles Greenway. I had asked them to withdraw it, and they did. It is now time to move on and have the Town of Leesburg work out regulatory issues with the County so the courts can be expanded in downtown Leesburg."

http://www.loudountimes.com/index.php/news/article/developers_land_offer_for_courts_complex_off_the_table/


Here is Jon Peterson's letter to the Board of Supervisors...

December 4, 2012

Ralph M. Buona, Chairman

Finance/Government Services and Operations Committee

Loudoun County Board of Supervisors

1 Harrison Street, S.E., Fifth Floor

Leesburg, Virginia 20177

Re:       Expansion of the Loudoun County Courts Complex

Dear Chairman Buona:

I am writing to follow up on my letter to you of November 19, 2012 wherein I laid out a proposal to gift to Loudoun County land owned by The Peterson Cos. within the Town at its Crosstrail project.  As I described in that letter, we believe that a relocation of the Loudoun County Courts Complex from its current location in Downtown Leesburg would serve both the County and Town well in many ways, including the potential to create a more efficient and cost effective expansion of the Courts Complex while simultaneously retaining Leesburg’s status as the County Seat.  As I further noted in my letter, there are many other arguments in favor of this relocation.

Since November 19^th, I have had an opportunity to speak with numerous stakeholders on this issue.  They have brought to bear arguments in favor and in opposition to our proposal, and I have appreciated hearing these points.  Their comments further illuminated our understanding of the County’s and Town’s respective needs.

Based on those discussions, it is my conclusion that while a relocation of the Courts Complex to a Town site at Crosstrail has many merits, it has become obvious that capable representatives from both The Town of Leesburg and Loudoun County have extensively evaluated the circumstances surrounding this matter.  In doing so, it appears that the two parties have mutually agreed upon a long term solution that will keep the location of The Loudoun Counties Courts Complex in its existing location in downtown Leesburg.

Given that fact, and given our desire to work with both The Town of Leesburg and Loudoun County to promote both the future economic development potential of Crosstrail and its premier employment opportunities, I must respectfully withdraw our proposal to gift land to Loudoun County for the relocation of the Courts Complex to Crosstrail

 I thank you for your consideration.

Very truly yours,

Jon Peterson

Senior Vice President

Reid issues regret for words describing atheist group in Loudoun

Reid statement on use of word 'terrorist' to describe atheist group in Loudoun County.
My initial statement to NBC News 4 on the night of Nov. 29 regarding my use of the word "terrorist" in the Washington Times to describe an atheist group in Loudoun County and their tactics was brief and clipped. Here are my subsequent two statements to the Leesburg and Loudoun Community:

I posted on my Facebook page and have sent a few emails to folks writing me that my use of the word "terrorist" was a poor choice of words and the Washington Times did not tell it in full context, not did channel 4 report all that I told them. I also emailed Councilman Dave Butler, a Democrat, who criticized my use of the word at last night's Leesburg Council meeting with the same apology.

My comments in the Washington Times were directed specifically at the atheist groups that have been relentlessly pursuing their goal to remove all religious holiday symbols from the courthouse lawn, not ALL atheists or non-believers. I also told the paper that Rick Wingrove's proposed "attended display" is fine under our County rules and I was not going to do anything to upset what he wishes to do.

* * * *

The following I read on the dais at the Board of Supervisors meeting on Dec. 4

“I offer again for the third time, which it is the Jewish tradition to apologize three times to those who you’ve hurt. It was a poor choice of words, all the words, including the word fanatic, and we all make mistakes, and public officials make mistakes.

What has certainly gone unreported, which I said to the media, is that I support and have no problems with the atheist reading tent on the courthouse lawn, and that’s what I told the media – but that did not come through.”http://www.leesburgtoday.com/news/debate-continues-over-courthouse-displays/article_254a2988-3fc5-11e2-944d-0019bb2963f4.html