A frightening budget scenario looms over Wednesday morning’s meeting between school and government leaders in Prince William County.

School officials are seeking funding for an estimated $32 million deficit to pay for its existing programs and essential services, while county supervisors are facing a 14 percent drop in the real estate tax base.

The annual funding workshop, set just before the Nov. 6 elections, is the first chance for school and county members to gather to discuss the bleak financial outlook and top priorities.

“Everybody realizes it’s going to be a tight year,” said Milton Johns, the Brentsville-area school board member running unopposed for chairman. “It’s got to be an agreement that both sides can agree with.”

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The smallest tax rate increase under consideration is more than 13 cents per $100 of property value, which would keep the average homeowner’s tax bill steady. Supervisors are already weighing additional rate increases to pay for new county projects, including the illegal-immigration crackdown and more jail and police staff, and are trying to add the schools’ needs into a cohesive package.

“We’ve got some difficult decisions to make over the coming year,” Prince William County Chairman Corey Stewart

said.

Eleven schools are already at least 20 percent over their capacity levels, and new construction to meet that demand is a top priority for both sides.

“I think the critical thing is that the schools do everything they can to ensure they don’t delay any school construction projects any further,” Stewart said.

The Kettle Run High School, set to open in 2011, had to be delayed in last year’s budget because of financial problems.

dgenz@dcexaminer.com