Several Fairfax County athletic directors have begun preparing fora proposed $1 million cut in the student activities and athleticsbudget for next school year -- a move that could shorten the seasonsof some varsity sports and even lead to the elimination of others.
'Cutting $1 million from our budget is catastrophic,' said BrucePatrick, Fairfax's coordinator of student activities and athleticprograms. 'It means reductions across the board, shortening seasonsby 20 to 40 percent and even possibly eliminating certain programs.Everything is on the table right now. I don't think people realizehow serious this issue really is.'
The $1 million reduction is part of a long list of cuts proposedby Fairfax County Superintendent of Schools Daniel Domenech, who haswarned that the schools need $65 million more than the county's Boardof Supervisors is proposing to spend for the budget year that beginsJuly 1. The cuts would be necessary, according to Domenech, if thecounty Board of Supervisors follows through on a plan to cut theproperty tax rate. Supervisors, who are under pressure from residentsto cut taxes because of soaring property assessments, will set thetax rate April 29.
'I think we're going to be able to transfer more money than we hadsaid previously, but not close to what the school board hasrequested,' said Katherine Hanley, chairman of the county Board ofSupervisors. 'I support extracurricular activities and sportsprograms, not only because of the health benefits, but because theyhelp to keep some kids in school. . . . I really hope the schoolstake the scalpel approach [to cuts] rather than the meat axapproach.'
All schools will be affected by the proposed $1 million cut, butthe pinch will be felt mostly at the high school level. Patrick is indiscussions with the athletic directors of all 24 high schools todetermine what activities and sports might get squeezed. Of thecounty's $1.6 billion school budget for this school year, activitiesand athletics account for close to $14 million.
'A million dollars is a million dollars,' Westfield AthleticDirector Francis Dall said. 'You try to cut as little as possible,but either way it's going to hurt.'
The athletic budget for one high school can easily exceed $100,000for the school year, several athletic directors said. That does notinclude costs covered by the county, such as coaches' salaries,transportation to and from games within the county, officiating fees,as well as about $5,000 for Virginia High School League membershipand catastrophic injury insurance, $2,000 for athletic trainingsupplies, $3,000 for safety equipment reconditioning, about $6,000for police security at spectator events and costs for routinefacility maintenance.
If the cuts are approved, schools would have to absorb some of thecosts covered by the county. Booster club funds, gate receipts,donations and fundraisers pay for uniforms, new equipment and game-day expenses.
'Even at one of the schools that is considered to be among thewealthiest, any little cut is devastating,' Robinson AD Paul Jansensaid. 'In the back of our minds, we're already thinking about what todo if these cuts happen.'
