About 150 people filled the T.C. Walker Education Center auditorium Monday night to have a chance to express their views to the Gloucester County Board of Supervisors on the county’s $114 million proposed 2015-16 budget.
The vast majority of those speaking during the public hearing asked county supervisors to fully support the school board budget request, and not impact the departments of Community Education, and Parks, Recreation and Tourism when considering any cuts that might have to be made during the budget deliberation process. A few residents even asked the board to raise taxes Monday night in order to fund programs.
The proposed budget falls $1.3 million short of what the school board has requested; much of that money was earmarked to go toward the opening of the new Page Middle School.
Several of the first speakers included Piankatank Community League president Paul Malcolm and his wife Susan, who said without Community Education and the help of its staff, the league&rsq...