UPDATE: Sessoms and Jones Defend Taking Money from Schools

What is no less than a shocking and appalling act, the City of Virginia Beach has informed Virginia Beach City Public Schools of it’s intentions to take $8.8 million from the school budget and apply it toward an animal shelter and rec center. These cuts come after a difficult budget process for the school system were $21.2 million has already been cut in order to balance a revenue shortfall.

While I’m sure that the animal shelter and rec center need to be funded, I do not believe that the school budget should be used as an emergency fund for the council to dip into at their pleasure, especially when published media reports indicate that the City maintains a $167 million fund balance.

The School Board will meet this evening to discuss the consequences of these additional cuts, and city council will meet on May 11th to vote on their budget. I believe it’s important that city council know that the taking $8.8 million from the schools should not be included in their approved budget.

Please contact city council and let them know that you do not approve of their intentions to make further cuts to education in Virginia Beach.

More information regarding these cuts and the budget for Virginia Beach City Schools can be found here.

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2. The Virginian-Pilot endorses Brian White for City Council
3. Two City Council Candidates from Chesapeake and Norfolk
4. Sen. Miller on Charter Schools: “We should be ashamed of ourselves”
5. Responding to McWaters’ Response