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GREENSBORO — Guilford County Schools officials spent nearly seven hours Wednesday analyzing their proposed budget but found few places to cut expenses or raise revenue.

Minor cuts were identified, but the Board of Education has said it could fall to the county to boost funding if state lawmakers follow through with severe spending cuts.

The legislature is wrestling with a $3 billion deficit this year and has warned that all state agencies, including education, could face major budget reductions in the new year that begins July 1.

No vote was taken on the issue, but the school board agreed that Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green should go ahead and give county commissioners what he’s got so far.

Green’s current budget proposal calls for about $175 million from the county.

“If the bottom falls out of the budget, we have to be able to say we may not be able to hold the line,” board member Darlene Garrett said.

Commissioners Chairman Melvin “Skip” Alston requested the school system, along with all county departments, produce budgets that request no more funding than what was allocated in the current budget year. Alston has said he will not vote to increase tax rates.

“Whatever we have to do to absorb cost increases from the state will be through more cuts,” he said by phone after the meeting. He added that those cuts will come from the school system and county departments.

Alston called possible deep state cuts to public education “irresponsible” and said school districts need to march on Raleigh to make their voices heard.

On Wednesday, school board members suggested cutting back on professional dues and training. Those reductions, however, would have minimal impact on the overall proposed $651.8 million budget.

Darlene Garrett said expenses like professional development are worthwhile but may need to be put off during this budget crisis.

“Staff development overall, I think, needs to be cut drastically,” she said.

Benchmark tests given by the system to evaluate students in years before major state tests should also be reevaluated, Garrett said.

All agreed that trying to develop a budget while the state budget remains wildly in flux is nearly impossible.

“We may well need to sit down and do this one or two more times,” said board member Jeff Belton.

 Contact J. Brian Ewing at 373-7351 or brian.ewing@news-record.com