$11 million budget deficit projected for school district

By Laura Tate · Thu Dec 19 2002

Superintendent proposes statewide cuts.

By Laura Tate/Editor

The state of California's budget is estimated to be $30 billion in deep trouble, which will put the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District $11 million in the red for the 2003-2004 fiscal year budget.

SMMUSD Superintendent John Deasy recently detailed in a memorandum to school board members, and in a special meeting with the press on Monday afternoon, the effects of the statewide budget crisis, which affects education in California deeply. The majority of cuts are targeted at education, especially preK-12, said Deasy.

The superintendent totaled the effect for the SMMUSD at $3.4 million in reductions before June 30, 2003, and additional reductions of around $6 million for the next fiscal year. This, with an operating loss of revenue of $5 million from previous cuts in state funding, brings a net loss of revenue to around $11 million.

From cutting K-12 local assistance programs, community day schools, the Healthy Start program to the Principal Training Program, the loss to education in California will be extensive.

Following are several statewide, county and local proposals that Deasy will present to the school board on Dec. 19 to avoid "catastrophic cuts and services" to students:

• All state employees and offices to be closed and furloughed for two days this fiscal year.

• The state place a moratorium on any and all new components to the state testing and accountability program (STAR).

• A soft-cap on size-class reduction (not permanent).

• Any across the board reductions of K-12 funding be equally applied to the State Office of Education and each county office of education.

• Remove mandates and restrictions for all textbook programs, deferring the PERS employers retiree benefit increase for next year, and cancel summer school programs for 2003-2004.

• An immediate resolution to place a proposition before voters of Malibu and Santa Monica to move the passage of the local school district parcel tax initiatives from two-thirds required for passage to 55 percent.

• Place a revised parcel tax initiative on the June 3 ballot. (See accompanying story).

• A two-week furlough of all employees in the district, which means all schools would be closed for 10 days.

While Deasy said the picture is very grim, there are solutions-critical is the parcel tax.