A referendum to continue the half-cent sales tax levied by the county for education was defeated in a general election on November 2, 2010.  The current one-cent sales tax, approved a decade ago, is poised to expire at the end of this calendar year.  The resulting lack of funding will cut off nearly all of Seminole County Public Schools’ funding for construction, technology, and “other authorized capital expenditures,” according to The Sanford Herald.  For the next school year, the school board will have to make an estimated $20.9 million in cuts and additional income to grapple with a projected budget shortfall.

Without this sales tax, and with a reduced property tax, many programs previously funded by the school board face the chopping block.  Over 30 possible cuts are being considered by the school board, from extracurriculars, sports, closing more elementary schools, and raising all thermostats one degree.  Additionally, the Orlando Sentinel reported that “there will be no more tax money for the Environmental Studies Center or Student Museum.”  Principal Mike Gaudreau detailed some of the other proposals, which include cutting magnet busing and arts programs from the budget.

Mr. John Pavelchak, Executive Director of Finance and Budget for Seminole County Public Schools, said, “One option the School Board has is to take a one-mill property tax increase to the voters for approval…generat[ing] $25.4 million per year for four years and…cover[ing] the deficit.”  One mill of property tax is equal to $1 per $1,000 of taxable value.  “The average homeowner would have a tax increase of $130 per year if this was passed,” Pavelchak said.  “It must be made clear that the School Board has made no decisions to date on budget cuts or on taking a referendum to the voters for a tax increase for 2012-2013.”

Some ‘Noles feel that extracurricular activities are essential to the school.  Freshman Jennifer Danuff stated that “having extracurricular activities is really important because they’re a good way to connect with people and become involved.”  Others worry about the fate of their favorite school-funded activities.  Sophomore Bryan Muniz said that he would be “very angry” if funding for magnet busing or arts funding were cut from the budget for next year.

Mr. Gaudreau noted, “We’re lucky as a school—we would not have gone through with our construction if we had to [do so] today.  We were going to get new technology this year, as well.  Some of our computers are more than seven years old—which is old for a computer.”  Although Seminole High School’s construction projects are completed, other schools are not as lucky.  Gaudreau said that other schools still face building issues like leaky roofs, and will have a hard time coming up with money to fix those issues.

Dealing with budget cuts has been a persistent problem ever since the beginnings of the subprime mortgage crisis and resulting economic chaos in 2008, and the entire education system has had to find new ways to do more with less.  Math teacher Mr. Manhar Dalal said that “I have more students and more work for less pay, with three percent of my salary going for retirement.”  But he, along with others working hard to fix the problems of the school and county, remain hopeful about the ability to rise above these challenges.  He remarked, “Teachers are able to work harder and make up for [a lack of funds].  We stay after [school] for tutoring; we buy things with our own money.  We do what we have to in order to make education work.”