By admin 
Local school districts across South Carolina are faced with managing their budgets at a time when costs for everything are increasing and revenue can be less than public educators might want.
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The State asked the candidates running in November for the Lexington-Richland 5 school board directly if the district covering the Chapin-Irmo area if they would be willing to raise taxes, or if there were specific items from the school budget they would need to cut.
Election Day for school board candidates will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3. Early voting runs Monday through Saturday from Oct. 19 to Oct. 31. Two seats each will be filled from the Lexington and Richland County sides of the district in this election.
The Issue
How can Lexington-Richland 5 best manage the budget for its more than 17,000 students, and how can its needs best be prioritized?
Kim Gilbert (Lexington)
Gilbert, who has worked in the district for more than 20 years, said her priority would be looking outside the classroom for potential areas to cut.
“I would first look closely at District Office and other non-classroom spending, outside contracts and consultants, programs that may no longer be effective, and areas where the district’s recent restructuring could create savings,” Gilbert told The State.
“What I would not start with is cutting the people who work directly with students. Teachers, classroom assistants, special education services, school counselors, school safety, transportation employees, and the support staff who work with our children every day should be protected as much as possible.”
Beth LoPresti (Richland)
LoPresti told The State she saw tax increases as a “last resort,” and promised a full budget review to ensure that current spending best serves the district’s teachers and students.
“One place to start is technology in the early grades. Right now, every child from 5K through 2nd grade is issued their own Chromebook,” LoPresti said. “I would support moving those grades to a screen-light model. Our youngest learners do best with hands-on learning, reading and direct time with their teachers.
“Shared classroom devices or computer labs would still let them build computer literacy, while saving the district the cost of maintaining individual devices, including repairs, software licenses and IT support.”
Michael Reeves (Richland)
Reeves said that savings opportunities need to be identified before the district considers raising taxes, including administrative spending and maintenance costs.
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“We need to make sure taxpayer dollars aren’t being spent on unnecessary items,” he said. “Outside contracts also need to be reviewed to see if we’re getting the best value for what we’re paying.”
But Reeves would not support cuts to staff positions. “Our teachers and support staff are essential to student success,” he said. “This would directly affect our classrooms and we should look at ways to save on operations before considering these cuts.”
“If any unnecessary spending can be eliminated, we may be able to address budget needs without having to ask taxpayers for more. If additional funding is still required, the district should be transparent about why and how those funds will be used.”
Jennifer Rice (Lexington)
Rice said the district should look to the spending from a $240 million bond referendum in 2024, intended to build a new elementary school and make other campus improvements across the district.
“Our district is currently working with funds from a recent bond referendum, and the most responsible way to honor the trust voters placed in the district is to ensure those projects are completed on budget. Our district should negotiate the strongest possible rates in every contract tied to project completion and hold vendors accountable for cost and timeline.
“I also believe the district should take a careful look at facilities that are no longer in use and can’t be repurposed to serve our students. Selling surplus property is a sensible way to generate revenue without asking taxpayers for more.”
Terence Rickenbacker (Richland)
Rickenbacker said Lexington-Richland 5 can meet its current needs without a tax increase.
“To keep millage steady over time, the district will need disciplined budgeting and savings in areas outside the classroom — such as administrative attrition, contract renegotiations, delaying nonessential capital projects, and consolidating or phasing out underused programs while protecting student and teacher resources,” Rickenbacker said.
Others
Candidates Blake Justice and Karena Phelps in Lexington County did not respond to The State before publication.
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