Barbara Hollingsworth: Sound of a Government Bubble Popping

"Fairfax County School Board Chairman Kathy Smith warned parents about having to increase class size and make drastic cuts in popular band and sports programs at a public budget forum last month, while her fellow board members urged the audience to ask county supervisors to raise taxes.

What Smith didn't mention was the real reason Fairfax County Public Schools needs more money, even though it already gets half of all county revenues. Hint: It's not for the children.

"What they're really doing is cutting band so they can give their employees better benefits than most taxpayers get," Fairfax County Taxpayers Alliance President Arthur Purves toldThe Examiner. In fact, the largest increase in the fiscal 2011 school budget is a proposed $96 million expenditure for employee benefits, versus just $9 million for increased student enrollment."

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By: Barbara Hollingsworth
Local Opinion Editor
March 9, 2010