The Bethel-Tate Local School District Board of Education, school principals, members of Earned Income Tax Committee and community members met Thursday, Oct. 9, to discuss the $1 million in cuts that will be made if the proposed one-percent earned income tax doesn't pass.

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Although the exact numbers and final decisions have not been made, the board put the budget reductions through a first read that will be voted on during the November meeting.

"We've always needed money, but we waited as long as we possibly could to ask for it ... The voters are the last resort, but without additional funding, we will not be able to sustain our current services," said Ed Dyer, school board president.

Should the levy fail, the board said the cuts will be as follows:

* Busing: There will be no busing to the high school and the other three schools will be on a tiered system. Each school will start at a different time and the bus fleet will be cut in half. This could mean the loss of six employees. The board also discussed cutting busing to the state minimum, which would mean no busing within a two-mile radius of any school.

* Extra-curriculars: All kindergarten through eighth-grade extra-curricular activities, including sports, will be cut without exceptions. The board didn't make a final decision on cutting high school extra-curriculars.

* Facilities management: All school buildings will close shortly after school is dismissed each day. This will cut down on staff requirements and save on utilities. However, this also means no clubs, extra-curricular groups or sports teams would be able to use the facilities without paying an additional fee. The buildings will be kept a few degrees cooler in the winter and a few degrees warmer in the summer. Temperatures would be outside the comfort area, but this action will help save money on utilities.

* Personnel: Eight to 11 teachers, one to two administrators and five to seven support staff will be cut. These cuts would result in a higher student-to-teacher ratio and cuts in student assistance programs. Larger class sizes would mean teachers could only teacher in lecture style instead of the one-on-one and hands-on style teaching they currently use. It also was discussed that some positions could be eliminated by combining jobs.

The board said the $1 million deficit would mean less professional development for teachers and fewer assistance programs for struggling students.

"We've worked so hard to come so far and to think that we could step back this far really makes me sick," Dyer said.

The budget reductions will be up for final approval at the November meeting, but Superintendent Jim Smith stressed these cuts are the real deal.

"We're not trying to threaten anyone, but we need to educate the district on what will happen if this (income tax) doesn't pass," Smith said. "The cuts are real and we'd be going down a notch on just about everything."

The November meeting is at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18, at the Ebon C. Hill Intermediate School on Fossyl Drive.