CTA Presses for Final Plan in Line with Proposition 98
With a June 30 legislative deadline for finalizing a 2007-2008 state budget fast approaching, CTA representatives are continuing to urge lawmakers to approve a spending proposal that fully funds education.
A six-member two-house budget conference committee has been working since last month to put the finishing touches on a legislative budget bill, which will need a two-thirds vote to be sent to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for his approval. At this writing, the conferees – Assembly Members John Laird (D-Santa Cruz), chair; Mark Leno (D-San Francisco); and Roger Niello (R-Sacramento); and Senators Denis Ducheny (D-San Diego), co-chair; Dennis Hollingsworth (R-Murrieta); and Mike Machado (D-Linden) – are waiting for the results of meetings between legislative leaders and the governor.
Under the state constitution, the governor has until June 30 to sign a budget bill that is to take effect on July 1, the start of the state’s fiscal year.
Laird, School Supporters Bristle at Governor’s Early Payback Proposal
During a recent presentation to the Sacramento Press Club, Assembly Member Laird told reporters that Democratic Assembly Members in particular were resisting the governor’s proposal to use $600 million for early repayments of state bonds. The Assembly Member said his caucus members were allocating that funding instead to key state programs, including growth and the Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for public education.
For his own part, Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines (R-Clover) told reporters at the same gathering that his caucus would press for nearly $1.2 billion in budget cuts and a reallocation of some Proposition 98 resources to equalization. That reallocation could force reductions in basic funding, including schools’ COLA and growth funding.
Teachers Urge No Cuts in Key School Programs
CTA representatives have keyed their efforts on protecting important education appropriations contained in either the Senate or Assembly budget versions that were sent to the conferees. In general, CTA has been working to protect full funding for basic programs, COLA, and growth in student enrollment. Specifically, CTA is also seeking to protect:
• An allocation of $13 million for Economic Impact Aid.
• An appropriation of $48.1 million to cover supplemental instruction deficiencies.
• And an appropriation of $4.1 million for community day school deficiencies, a one-time payment for shortfalls in the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 fiscal years.
At the same time, CTA is working to keep out of the final budget any appropriations and authorizing language that would reactivate the statewide testing of second graders, a program that phases out in July 2007.
• CTA Members:
Keep urging your Assembly Members and state Senators to send the governor a new budget that provides full funding for Proposition 98.