So, what are these activist parents complaining about? A portion of the retained school budget is allocated to before and after school activities. It appears that these funds, more than $750,000, are for watching children when their parents leave for work, and until their parents return from work. Is this really what should be in the Fluvanna “Educational School” budget?
In addition, the Board of Supervisors recommended elimination of funds that were planned for occupational training classes, that have not existed prior to the availability of the new high school. These funds were not taken away, they are planned for new classes that have never existed. Why are they necessary, and why were they included in the original design of the high school? I have not heard how these new classes could improve the quality of existing teachers.
One group wants the Fluvanna Board of Supervisors to be accountable for the best interests of the schools and the county. That is wrong. The board is responsible for the financial welfare of the county, period. Their responsibility is to all citizens of the county, not just the school children and their parents.
It is obvious that many taxpayers have been excluded from spending plans of the Fluvanna County School Board, which created the commitments for the new high school, enacted by a Board of Supervisors with direct ties to the school system. These factors are as odious as any that have occurred in recent years.
The continuing escalation of Fluvanna’s tax rate is a challenge for all elected and appointed officials. Unnecessary pressure from focus groups can only exacerbate an ongoing problem in a still rural community. Fluvanna is an enjoyable community to live in, with many farms and historic reminders. For those who extoll the Louisa tax benefits of Zion Crossroads, I suggest a leisurely drive thru Louisa, and a review of whether their environs are more appealing than Fluvanna.
