School Board in Augusta Set to Furlough Employees and Cut Teacher Pay

The Richmond County school board has passed a $225 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year, making up for a projected $24.5 million shortfall with employee furloughs, cuts in teachers' pay and reductions in teaching staff.

Many of the system's employees will face a furlough of four days -- and therefore cuts in pay. Teachers, who by state law cannot be furloughed, will still take a pay cut in local salary supplements they receive from the school board.

Dr. Dana Bedden, Richmond County schools superintendent:

"Please accept my apologies for any difficulties and hardships the furlough may create. While the furloughs were not something I would preferred, I really believed they were better than layoffs."

Bedden noted that about 90 percent of the school system's budget is personnel costs.

Despite the furloughs and pay cuts, many teachers and employees will still receive pay raises mandated by the state. The raises, known as step increases, will cover a portion of their incomes that they would otherwise lose with the furloughs.

The board is also eliminating several teaching positions through attrition and the non-renewal of some teacher contracts.

The budget comes as school systems across the state grapple with major funding issues due to the troubled economy and significant losses in revenue.

For more information about the budget, click here.

Fayette Co. to teachers: give back raises... please

Fayette County schools are asking teachers to give their pay raises back. School board officials say the 2.5 percent pay increase given last spring amounts to 4 million dollars which could help keep the budget in the black.

Teachers aren't required to comply. The county south of Atlanta has struggled amid declining property taxes and state budget cuts. Another option discussed… slashing costs by furloughing contracted employees such as principals.

Lawmaker proposes tobacco tax hike

A Republican lawmaker is calling for a tobacco tax increase… one dollar per pack of cigarettes. State Republican Ron Stephens of Savannah will hold a news conference later this morning along with other advocates of the tax hike. The plan comes as the state wrestles with a two billion dollar budget shortfall for 2009.

Georgia is not the only state to consider raising the tobacco tax. Governors of Virginia and Kentucky have also proposed similar legislation. 2003 was the last time Georgia boosted its cigarette tax… 25 cents a pack. The state faced a budget crunch then too.