BAY MINETTE, Ala. — Baldwin County Commission chairman David Bishop on Tuesday seated a panel of state legislators and county and school officials to address tax revenues and other options to prevent additional drastic cuts in educational personnel and programs.

“We have to have people look at all the options and find out which way we should go,” Bishop said. “This is a complex issue, but it is an issue we have to address.”

The meeting was prompted by a 1-cent sales tax request from Baldwin County School Superintendent Faron Hollinger who said increases in equity funding and decreases in state and local revenues has created “the worst economic condition for education that Alabama has ever experienced.”

Hollinger said state proration now at 11 percent and a proposed 6 percent state proration in 2010 will result in funding cuts of $61 million, or 28 percent of the 2009 general fund budget.

Commissioners balked at the 1-cent sales tax proposal, citing input from county residents who also are caught up in the recession.

“Education is important to all children,” Commissioner Skip Gruber said. “Under current conditions, some parents can’t afford to feed their children. A penny doesn’t sound like much money, but people are counting pennies.

“I know we have to do something, but I don’t have the answer.”

Commissioner Frank Burt said the the county could not put more burden on the poor or wealthy in the current economic climate, and called for the committee to seek other revenue-generating options and reduce expenditures.

“I don’t want one meeting a week for this committee,” Burt said. “I will meet every day and weekends to help solve this problem.”

Commissioner Wayne Gruenloh, who is attending an out-of-state National Association of Counties conference, took part in the meeting via teleconference and will chair the committee, which is expected to begin meetings early next week.

The committee will include all four commissioners and two Baldwin County Board of Education members and their financial officers. State Rep. Steve McMillan, R-Gulf Shores, and State Sen. Trip Pittman, R-Montrose, were present at the meeting and agreed to be committee members.

Gary Branch, president of Faulkner State Community College, also will participate and is asking for a share in any funding options.

“We are part of public education and the effects on them are the same for us,” Branch said. “We will lose over $4 million this year and next year. We need short-term help and I hope the group will be looking for long-term solutions.

“We will have 6,000 students this fall. We used to be a transfer school, now we are more into work-force training and that benefits everyone in the county.”

The committee also will address equity funding, which requires the Baldwin school system to provide 10 mills to poorer counties for education. That figure has grown from $20 million in 2004 to $45 million in 2010, and is the largest match of any school system in the state, Hollinger said.

School board officials have sought judicial review of the match funding, but McMillan said the key was legislative exploration by the committee.

Hollinger said without additional funding, class sizes will grow from 19 to 27 for elementary schools, 21 to 34 for middle schools and 18 to 36 for high schools.

According to school records, more than 450 staff positions have been cut since 2008, two schools were closed, salaries are frozen, personal leave benefits have been reduced, capital projects are on a back burner and 35 positions have been cut in the central office.

Hollinger will make a detailed presentation Tuesday at the commission meeting in Bay Minette, but no action is expected by the commission.

“If we wait for a permanent fix, this will have a devastating effect on the county,” Baldwin County Board of Education member Norm Moore said. “I know this (proposal) is unpopular, but the impact is yet to be felt and will be soon.”

BOE member Angie Swiger said she continues to explain the funding shortage and the potential for suspending athletics, textbook funding, and electives such as art, band, choral, drama, career tech courses and at least 20 bus routes.

“On a personal level, I have kids in school,” Swiger said. “To explain no art or band programs next year and 40 students in a class and look in children’s faces, it really brings this down to earth.”