How do you deal with a budget decifit without raising the millage rate on property owners?  Cut.  And then cut some more.

From this morning’s AJC…

The [DeKalb School Board budget] committee’s budget includes laying off 200 paraprofessionals, 150 central office employees, 59 media clerks and 18 technology specialists.

In addition to layoffs, the budget committee voted to cut another 61 paraprofessionals, 10 assistant principals and 10 counselors through attrition.

…The committee also voted to furlough teachers seven days, which is about a 3.9 percent pay cut. Administrators, secretaries and other employees will face 10 to 15 furlough days.

The committee also voted to raise class sizes by two students and cut the board’s contribution to employees’ tax-sheltered annuity.

Even with all these cuts, some think that it still won’t be enough to close the budget gap.  In that case, a small tax increase might be on the horizon.