Lewis said he will release his proposed budget to the School Board on Jan. 20.

The proposed cuts come as the school district faces declining state revenues and property taxes. State revenues budgeted will account for less than 43 percent of the district’s general operations fund, Lewis said.

As Lewis searches for ways to replace those lost revenues, however, he has touched off a storm of criticism. Upset that Lewis received a $15,000 raise at time when the district is holding the line on pay increases and benefits for them, bus drivers have been picketing and teachers have been wearing black on Thursdays to their classrooms in protest.

“The superintendent negotiates a pay raise, while everybody else is getting cut—that’s why they’re upset,” said Dave Schutten, president of the Organization of DeKalb Educators (ODE), which represents 4,700 school employees. “I’m not saying that he shouldn’t get a raise, but it’s the timing that’s not right. It’s like a slap in the face.”

The school board in an 8-1 vote approved an increase from $240,000 to $255,000 for Lewis. Under his old contract, he should have been making $250,000, but last year, he agreed to a 2 percent cut and turned down his $10,000 cost of living increase to help the district.

But School Board member Eugene Walker, who represents District 9, said the district still remain in bad shape and Lewis should have held off again. Walker was the lone board member who did not vote for the raise.

“I disagree with a pay increase at any level at this time. It concerns me greatly that the Superintendent would even ask this Board for a raise, in light of anticipated revenue losses in the coming years due to a very adverse economic climate,” Walker said.

Lewis has not commented on the raise. He said his focus is on keeping workers employed and the district running.

“The goal is no layoffs,” Lewis said. “We want to try to keep everyone working, but keeping everyone working doesn’t mean everyone will have their same job.”

Lewis said some administrators might be sent to the classroom and their salaries would be lowered with the moves. Some significant cuts also will be made to school programs, though he did not specify what those cuts would be.

“Everything is on the table and nothing is off the table. There is no way to sugarcoat this,” Lewis said.  “As we continue to face shortages from property tax receipts, shortages from the state, we have no choice but to cut.”

Lewis said that he was pleased that the district has been able to maintain operations without raising the millage rate for the last seven years.

Operation LEAD’s John Evans says that is commendable, but feels the school system’s bus drivers, cafeteria workers and custodians deserve some kind of raise.

“They are the lowest ones on the ladder,” said Evans, who joined the workers in their recent picket. “You cannot operate the schools without them. If he (Lewis) wasn’t going to do something for all of them, he should not have taken a raise.”

Lewis said that DeKalb’s bus drivers, who earn $15.39 an hour, already are the highest paid in the area. In Atlanta, drivers earn $11.24 hourly; Fulton drivers earn $11.03; Clayton drivers earn $14.86; Cobb drivers earn $14.66; and Gwinnett drivers earn $13.09.