CMS budget cuts rise to $70 million

CMS Superintendent Peter Gorman says the school board now must plan to make at least $70 million dollars in budget cuts. That's $17 million more than what he told school board members just two weeks ago. Gorman delivered the news this morning on WFAE's "Charlotte Talks" program. "I got a letter from Harry Jones, the county manager, yesterday and we spoke last evening, and the county has now changed that and asked us to look at 10 percent reduction. So it's going to take the $53 (million) we were projecting and take that up to $70 (million). What that means is we will have to cut programs, services and people." County funding accounts for about two-thirds of CMS's budget. Two weeks ago, Gorman recommended that CMS cut 738 jobs, including 356 teaching positions. He also proposed cutting all middle school sports. That proposal was based on cutbacks of $53.5 million. The school board is meeting this afternoon to discuss the budget.