Sent: Monday, August 04, 2003 7:57 AMTo: pnewton@pres-net.com
Subject: RE: State Budget
Sent: Monday, August 04, 2003 7:57 AM
To: pnewton@pres-net.com
Subject: RE: State Budget
FROM: Dennis Meyers
As you have probably already heard, the state budget has been approved by the Senate and the Assembly and is on its way to the Governor for his signature. My apologies for such a late update. I have been tied up out of town on ACSA business and being the great boss that I am, Brett has been taking some well deserved time off.
The budget that is on the way to the Governor is essentially the May Revision budget. For a refresher, please refer to the ACSA Website, in the publications section under general news. The adopted budget DOES NOT include the child care shift. It DOES NOT include a delay of Kindergarten. It DOES NOT include a suspension of Prop. 98. It DOES NOT reduce staff development buyback days. And as you will recall, it also does not include a COLA for revenue limits or categoricals, but funds growth for revenue limits and special education only.
The biggest change that occurred is with an additional trailer bill that came out of negotiations with Assembly Republicans. In that bill, SB 1406, an additional $50 million was cut from existing K-12 programs and steered to equalization aid. The cuts contained in that bill are:
$18 million from deferred maintenance
$14 million from math/reading professional development
$14 million from ed tech
$2.5 million from principal training
SB 1406 was sent from the Assembly back to the Senate for concurrence on the amendments. Senate action will occur in August when the Legislature returns from the summer recess.
ACSA members in particular need to pat themselves on the back for this budget not being any worse. From the day that Governor Davis released his May Revision, we had to lobby hard to protect that level of funding. Davis led the charge in the press with a number of events throughout the state where he cited the importance of protecting education funding as a priority. Here in Sacramento, the education lobbying corp did its job with the legislature. However, we heard from several legislators about the contacts that they were receiving from ACSA members expressing opposition to shifting child care into Prop. 98, suspending Prop. 98, and using the budget shortfall to delay entrance into Kindergarten.
I want to thank those of you who sent letters, wrote emails, and placed calls to their legislators. Holding our cuts to the May Revision level was a major victory for us. And to those who received our updates and calls to action, but did not respond, let this be an encouragement to you that your action (or inaction) has an impact on what happens. The Senate Republicans backed away from their child care proposal because of the responses from administrators. They also abandoned their Kindergarten ideas. When you choose not to make a call, you are limiting the influence that ACSA members have on the legislative process.
Also, would you please send me your feedback on SB 1406. In a year with zero COLA and limited growth funding, plus all of the other reductions, does it make sense to cut another $50 million to make room for equalization? You all know that equalization has been a priority for ACSA for many years. But this year? Please email me back as we do have time to think about ACSA's reaction to SB 1406 before the Legislature returns. Send comments to dmeyers@acsa.org.
Good luck to you all as you begin your school year. We will update you on any further developments.
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