July 1st had come and gone, and of course, there is predictably no state budget. In fact, Sacramento has essentially shut down to go “home” for the holidays and the month of July – though they can be “called back” if there is a need for discussion and action. Essentially the process begins to move to the negotiations and mechanizations of the “Big 5.” Essentially this group consists of the Governor and 2 leading Democrats and 2 leading Republicans from both houses of the Legislature.
The fact is, there is NO budget in sight, with most prognosticators thinking that August would be an EARLY answer to the state budget and the more likely scenario being late summer or possibly early fall – when the state begins to run out of cash (which kinda’ forces the issue). In the interim, predictably state employees will face any number of difficult actions including being paid with vouchers (or the like).
With an approximately $20 billion deficit along with this being an election year (November) – it is not surprising that we have a delay and are likely to be faced with attempts to “kick the can down the road” for others to figure out. This circumstance is further affected by the fact that a number of the key players are also “termed out” with someone new coming to replace them.
Probably what is most critical, regardless of your politics or view, is a real solution for the California budget and state economy. All the “tricks” and “smoke and mirrors” have been tried unsuccessfully – it is time for California’s Executive and Legislative leadership to articulate a new vision of what we need to do to regain our leadership and performance in the national and international discussion.
At the local level, our budget started on July 1st (with the new budget and school year) and we are spending inside the budget year based on our adopted budget projections – but really without fully understanding what we will or won’t receive from the state of California. We are NOT currently in any short-term financial danger, but we will surely be negatively affected by the state’s final budget adoption. There are already proposals and discussions of shifting this and that – all of which results in additional responsibility and financial pressure on local school districts.
Stay tuned for an interesting summer as we watch Sacramento with anticipation.
Dr. Miller, any idea on how many teachers still have to be rehired? I am a teacher who has been credentialed for 3 years without a permanent position, did all my student teaching at RUSD, as well as 3 long term subbing experiences. Any chances for hiring at the elementary level as of yet?
ReplyDeleteI received a CTA "legislative alert" at the beginning of the month in regards to "education jobs funding". As a frustrated teacher who was laid off this year, I feel like I've done an adequate job of writing legislators to ask for help on behalf of educators and students. If this funding passes through the senate, how will it affect local school districts? Is the funding to be disseminated to states and then states decide the percentages to be given to districts? Will there be "strings attached" as there seems to be with much of the other funding districts receive? Have you heard if this would be one time funding and which years the funding would affect? It seems that with each piece of new information there are so many more questions to be answered as to how new funding would affect us at the local level.
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