COLUMBIA - Columbia Public Schools Superintendent Phyllis Chase and the school board have some extra homework as they deal with a $10 million budget shortfall.
The school district asked for a 54 cent tax levy increase, and 62 percent of Columbians answered no.
Now the district must figure out how to get out of the red.
"The Board of Education and myself need to have a conversation about wht the message was that the public was sending and how do we answer that message with factual information," Chase said.
The district wanted the funds to make ends meet after at $10 million dollar budget shortfall for this school year. The board had already decided to cut $5 million from the budget.
Members promised those cuts wouldn't affect the classroom, but that won't be the promise now.
"We will all feel these cuts. We tried to keep the first level of cuts away from the classroom, the first $5 million. This second $5 million will impact what it is we do and how we do it," Chase said.
Newly elected board member Rosie Tippin says she'll work to keep cuts clear from the classroom.
"I don't know if you call it a problem or a mission, is to find out how we can make these cuts and yet not deny our children the education they deserve," Tippin said.
The school board will examine the second and third round of budget cuts at its April 14 meeting.
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