ROBERTSDALE, Ala. — Two schools and hundreds of jobs are on the line if the so-called “Penny Tax” does not pass in a referendum March 23.

That was the bad news members of the Baldwin County Public Schools shared with county school board members Thursday, Feb. 4. in the C.F. Taylor Building in Robertsdale

“We have a comprehensive strategic plan,” explained Interim Superintendent of Schools JaNay Dawson. “You have to know what is at risk without changes to state revenue.”

While Dawson said she and the school committee were confident that the “Penny Tax,” which could generate around $25 million for BCPS, would pass, Dawson said, “We have to prepare.”

School officials explained that because of declining sales tax revenues, the state has “prorated” or cut about $61 million from the BCPS budget over the past two years.

Preparing for the worst may require two schools being closed. The Stapleton Community School may close and the Fairhope K-1 Center may also be shuttered to save costs.

“We looked at small schools of 300 (students) or less,” explained Dawson. “With the exception of two schools, we could not move the students without portables.”

In all, without the tax, school officials said that their would be drastic cuts They say that more than 400 employees, both teachers (even tenured teachers) and support staff will be cut if the tax does not pass.

“Let me make it very clear,” said School Board Member Angie Swiger, “our priorities are that the tax money will be used in this order: school staff, extracirrucualrs and limiting school closing. There is nothing here regarding capital spending.”

Swiger was assured by Dawson that the money would not be used for school buildings.

Dawson said the system replaced “some terribly old buildings,” but money from the sales tax would not be used to pay for the buildings.

“Our needs are personnel,” said Dawson.

Should the county not bring its budget into line, Dawson said the state will send someone to do that, and that person will not consider the needs of the county.

School Board Member Frank Trione said that people have been asking him, “Why can’t we go to the Central Office and eliminate positions.”

Dawson told the committee that should the tax pass or fail, there would be cuts in the Central Office , and teaching and other positions would be cut “by attrition.”

No matter what, it looks as if teachers will be losing jobs.

“Dr. (Joseph B.) Morton said that there would be 3,500 less teachers in Alabama next year,” said Dawson. That works out to as many as 126 positions for Baldwin County.