ROBERTSDALE, Ala. — Brenda Pierce has seen it all. As a retired teacher and a former principal in Foley and after a posting at the Baldwin County School’s Central Office, she’s seen firsthand what budget cuts can do to a school system, and to its students.

Pierce is also the vice-president of the Central Baldwin Education Foundation and, Pierce says, the foundations have provided the grassroots efforts to get the message out that our schools need this emergency funding and to vote yes is a temporary fix.

The situation is dire, Pierce says.

”If this does not pass, our school system will have to face deep cuts,” said Pierce.

If the tax passes, the 1-cent sales tax increase will enable the schools to operate on a reduced basis. If the tax does not pass, the Baldwin County Board of Education estimates the system will be be around $5 million in the red, according to to its Web site, bcbe.org.

The deficit will worsen each succeeding year, and according to the site, “it will take a generation” for the department to pay off the debt. The BCBE says the tax, which will last for 36 months will not be used for “capital improvements” (i.e. new buildings) or will leave the county.

The referendum does contain the words “capital improvements.” The BCBE Web site says: “The ballot language includes the words ‘capital improvements’ because they are contained in the Code of Alabama (the law) that has to be stated on the ballot. The Board of Education is on record with a resolution stating that the priorities for the penny revenue will be used mainly to keep teachers and local school support employees in schools and to avoid another mass employee layoff.” 

Some of the deepest cuts will come in what are called “extracurricular” activities. This means things like sports, band and the various clubs and other organizations that students participate in.

“The extracurriculars keep students involved and off the streets,” said Pierce, adding that in central Baldwin, young people have to travel miles to find entertainment. She added that she’s seen more than one student stay in school and earn his or her diploma because they wanted to be involved in a group or club.

“It’s possible that dropouts will increase,” Pierce said.

That will affect the quality of life in the county, she added because most businesses “require a diploma or a GED” before hiring a person.

Worse, the damage done to the school system will take years to repair.

“People with children in the schools will be looking at other options,” said Pierce. “It seldom goes back to the way it used to be.”

Part of the problem comes from “proration,” which allows state officials to cut the amount set aside for schools. Proration is often declared after the schools have signed contracts with teachers and made other commitments. Baldwin County schools have seen some $61 million removed from the budget from fiscal year 2008 to fiscal year 2010 because of state budget shortfalls.

Pierce sees the need to change the way schools are funded.

“Sales tax is a regressive tax,” said Pierce. “It fluctuates with purchasing power.”

Pierce would like to see some other way found to fund schools, but the 36 month sales tax increase will buy the system “some breathing room.”