FCCPS, City Council Work Session Draws Large Crowd

Just a month away from the April 25 deadline when they have to adopt the fiscal year 2012 budget, the City of Falls Church City Council met with the Falls Church City Public Schools Board Thursday night in another work session. The two sides have been speaking for weeks trying to come to a consensus on teacher compensation.

The FCCPS board has given city council their proposed FY 2012 budget of $35.7 million, which includes a mid-year full step increase, and a one-time bonus of up to $600 for full-time staff and up to $300 for part-time staff.

“It’s no secret we’re asking our staff to do more with less,” school board member Greg Rasnake said during the meeting. “Please make sure our teachers get what they need.”

Parents and FCCPS teachers packed the small Dogwood Room inside City Hall Thursday night for the joint budget work session. The school board’s proposed city appropriation for FY 2012 is $2,800 less than last year’s $27.4 million. Councilman Ira Kaylin recognized that the school board has decreased their city transfer request over the last four years. He said the city is still operating under financial distress. Mayor Nader Baroukh said he would like city council and the school board to discuss multi-year budgeting and a possible revenue share following FY 2012 budget discussions.

Kaylin said he understands the school board’s concern in getting more compensation for FCCPS staff. He said the city has to tighten their belts for the short term and do the best they can financially.

“The issue is what can we afford and still have an independent city,” Kaylin said during the meeting. “If the city goes under, the school system goes with it.”

While teachers grapple with the idea of going without an increase in salary for the third year, Jon Pepper, president of the Falls Church City Education Association and a teacher at George Mason High, said morale is dropping lower. He said he understands city council wanting the school board to project their future budgets but acknowledged the difficulty in that.

“The school board did exactly what city council wanted them to do with the budget and that’s deliver a flat budget,” Pepper said. “They’re not debating FY 2013, they’re debating FY 2012.”