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February 14, 2011

On Tuesday, February 8th, City Council met in workshop format to discuss the funding for Virginia Beach City Public Schools.  The VBEA had several representatives in the room including VBEA President Dominic Melito and VBEA Elementary School Advisory Committee Co-Chair Fran Mongin.  Toward the end of the workshop, Vice Mayor Louis Jones presented a resolution that he wanted moved to the City Council meeting agenda as an Action item.  Item 1 of the 3 part resolution ordered the City Manager to show the impact on the City Budget from lowering the revenue sharing formula to 50%. The formula is currently set at 51.3% for the schools of 7 revenue streams. (The City has a total of 17 revenue streams.)  The net effect of lowering the formula would mean a cut of 9 million dollars to the School Board's 2011-12 budget. 

Several City Council members spoke against the resolution, including Bill DeSteph, Rita Sweet Bellitto, Glenn Davis and John Uhrin.  Mayor Sessoms had sent the Council a letter on Friday asking to keep the revenue sharing formula at 51.3% for the upcoming 2011-12 budget.  The VBEA would like to thank these council members for sticking up for public education in Virginia Beach. 

Please click here to send an e-mail to City Council asking them NOT to change the revenue sharing formula for the 2011-12 budget.