Valley Pulse

The Staunton City Council will hold a budget work session at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall to discuss the school division’s budget for fiscal year 2010. The city’s overall proposed budget for 2010 is $94 million, down $2.9 million from the current budget. About $45.7 million of the overall city budget comes from general fund revenues.

Overall revenues for 2010 are estimated to be $28 million, down $2.2 million, or 7.33 percent. The city is slated to provide just over $11 million to the school system out of its general fund.

The school division has eliminated or reassigned 51 positions, both full and part time. Staff will receive no raises, and the Voluntary Semi-retirement Program will be eliminated. State sales tax is expected to decrease by more than $1 million (28.33 percent), while other state revenue will drop by $392,366 (3.36 percent). City appropriations have dropped $727,773, or 6.17 percent. Like other localities, Staunton’s school division is still trying to determine how to apply federal stimulus money.

Look for more budget blog posts at the Valley Pulse in the coming weeks as we take closer looks at budgets for Staunton, Waynesboro and Augusta County. Look for a story online at newsvirginian.com late tonight and tomorrow in The News Virginian.