Garcia’s hope for funds fades

Terry Webster

Wednesday, May 23, 2001 | 11:16 a.m.

Clark County School Superintendent Carlos Garcia said he is losing hope of receiving an increase in per-pupil funding from the state after a meeting last week with Gov. Kenny Guinn.

The governor's budget includes a $92 increase per pupil for schools, and that could go as high as $100 to cover increased utility costs, school officials say. That would mean more than $20 million for Clark County.

But the meeting with Guinn on Friday in Carson City left Garcia disappointed about the prospects of a boost in school funding, he said this week.

"The governor did not seem as optimistic," Garcia said. "But we will see what happens. We've only got about two weeks left to go."

The Legislature, which meets every two years, has yet to vote on education funding. This session closes the first week of June.

Any extra funding would likely come with a state-ordered external audit of the district's finances.

Garcia said Guinn addressed a potential audit while Garcia was lobbying for funding earlier this month in Carson City.

"Any new dollars coming to the school district from the state would probably come with a request for more oversight and accountability," Jack Finn, Guinn's spokesman, confirmed.

Finn would not elaborate on why the governor feels more oversight is needed.

But, he said, "This is not a new concept."

School officials said they would welcome a state audit, even though the district annually hires an outside accounting firm to conduct a financial audit.

The district uses the same firm as the state, Garcia said.

"I told (state officials) they can do an audit right away," Garcia said. "We have nothing to hide."

After lobbying Guinn in early May, Garcia hinted that the district's financial outlook would improve.

Garcia kept the details under wraps, but he said all of the lobbying by school officials appeared to have made a difference.

Garcia was optimistic then that some of the programs already cut would be reinstated by the district. According to district figures, $80 million has already been shaved from the budget over the past two years.

Meanwhile, school officials said they welcome any creative or constructive input in regard to operating the school system.

"The public should be assured that we do spend our money responsibly," Walt Rulffes, chief financial officer, said.

Some state lawmakers apparently aren't so sure.

School officials were angered when Sen. Bill Raggio, R-Reno, in a recent interview on "Face to Face with Jon Ralston," the Sun's news discussion program on Cox cable channels 1 and 39, accused the district of exaggerating the severity of its financial situation.

Other lawmakers have echoed Raggio's concerns that the district should be more accountable in relation to its spending.

The latest round of school district cuts will discontinue bus service for high school students living within three miles of their schools next year.

The cuts also imposed a hiring deferment on teachers until the district is certain of its fall enrollment.

School officials are predicting that, by fall, the district could be short by as many as 500 teachers. If it does not have enough permanent teachers, substitutes would fill in.

The district's $1.2 billion budget does not provide for new raises for employees.

Although school officials have discussed the possibility of cutting art, music and athletic programs, that did not happen under the most recent cuts.

In addition to program cuts already made, more could be coming if additional aid is not received, Garcia said.