The economy could check any major effort to increase school spending even with Democrats now representing the majority on both the school board and board of commissioners.
As noted in today's article, commissioners and school board members seem pretty confident that relations will now improve between both boards. But a $17 million shortfall in projected revenue could limit what both boards agree upon.
"If there's no improvement in the economy, the funding needs aren't going to be met," said Rosa Gill, chairwoman of the school board, in the article.
Gill is one of six Democrats on the nine-member school board.
School board member Ron Margiotta, one of the three Republicans, is more skeptical. He's concerned that the Democratic-controlled commissioners will agree to raise property taxes anyway to increase school funding.
Margiotta said there was a "healthy balance" having the GOP-led commissioners counter the school board's funding requests.
