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Budget deadlock harms education
STORY TOOLS 
More from OpinionOur state government is severely dysfunctional.
That is not big news to anyone who has been paying attention to the status of the state of California over the last few years. People were so fed up that they recalled a Democratic governor in an overwhelmingly Democratic state.
I got another lesson in the state of the state May 2 when Tim Baird, the Ojai Unified School District superintendent, and I visited with our local Assembly representative, Audra Strickland, R-Moorpark.
The meeting was civil enough. Strickland greeted us warmly, heard our tale of woe about the massive budget cuts we are making that will surely affect the quality of the educational experience of our students, and said that she agreed that education should be a priority.
She said that she didn't agree with the across-the-board cuts proposed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. There is a Republican plan, she said, that would fund schools to the voter-mandated levels (known as the Proposition 98 levels) and provide some flexibility to districts to move money from restricted funds to the general fund.
Those items sound good, but won't really add up to much. This is pretty much like John McCain and Hillary Clinton's idea for a gas-tax holiday. It is a press release designed to convey that the politicians care, without much real meat to it.
Then, after telling us about her concern for education, we got a lecture on how much waste there is in the state budget and how the state spends $5 billion to $11 billion supporting people who are in the country illegally. If we didn't supply them with government services, she said, we could fully fund schools. (The cost of illegal immigration is an extremely controversial calculation. Some analyses show that the net financial effect on the state is positive, some negative.)
To me, these arguments are examples of why the state government doesn't work. The subject of waste in government sounds good. I would love for the Republicans (or the Democrats, for that matter) to clamp down on "waste" and solve our budget problems. But repeating the waste issue over and over again doesn't really solve the problem unless there is a comprehensive program to attack it.
The illegal-immigrant issue is another way to cloud our problems. The state really has no recourse other than to supply education, healthcare and other vital services to people who are here, regardless of their immigration status, based on a variety of court rulings. And, under the U.S. Constitution, only the federal government can solve the illegal-immigration issue.
By bringing up the immigration issue, the assemblywoman is talking about something she has no control over.
It is like the OUSD saying we don't like one of the myriad rules mandated by the federal or state governments and we're going to whine about it. It does no good unless you try to change those rules at the place where they are made.
One of the ultimate reasons for the lack of effectiveness of the state Legislature is that there seems to be no one there who will compromise. Both sides dig into their positions. The Democrats hold overwhelming majorities in both the Assembly and the state Senate, but they don't have enough votes in either house to meet the two-thirds requirement to pass a budget.
As a result, both sides play a game of budgetary chicken. And the big loser is our children.
Our school district must pass a budget for the next fiscal year (from July 2008 to June 2009) by the end of this June. The state budget will surely not be passed by that time, so we won't know what the outcome of the eventual budget "compromise."
When I joked that I expect the state budget this year won't get passed until October, I didn't get a big denial from the assemblywoman. But when I asked for her help in trying to build some consensus or compromise to fund education in a more timely manner, I got only an explanation about how unfortunate the whole situation is related to the timing of the school year.
I would like all Democrats and Republicans to understand that these deadlocks hurt public education. Not only do the budget cuts hurt, but the uncertainty compounds the problems. We need real leadership. And real leadership means working for compromises. We know we won't end up with everything that either side wants. I, for one, would be happy with some cuts in "wasteful" spending and some increases in revenues. Realistically, how else are we going to solve our problem?
And, when we do finally reach the solution for this year, I hope that, in the spirit of compromise, the two sides can come up with a plan to smooth out the dramatic budgetary swings we seem to be facing as a state from year to year. If that is accomplished, our school district can focus on educating students, instead of dealing with periodic budget crises.
The voters of the state of California did speak clearly several years ago when they recalled Gov. Gray Davis. They want a government that works. Unfortunately, the Legislature (both Republicans and Democrats) didn't get the message.
— Steve Fields is president of the Ojai Unified School District.
Posted by MECapron on May 20, 2008 at 5:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Dear Steve,
Politicians don't often lead us into change. They have to get votes. The situation is more like a donkey or an elephant pulling a cart. Voters have to signal a turn (change).
If we stick with the status quo, you'll get Republican vs. Democrate all summer long. After months of posturing, education (and everything) will get less funding and maybe we'll all pay a little more taxes.
But the Democratic Party accidentally provided you with a chance to vote for significant change. The Democrats are running a video contest. The video titled "Hot wheels budget" signals both parties to leap the budget hurdle by applying brains to roads and trains.
That is, Government can provide better service (save people’s lives, save people’s time, save people’s money) for everyone (poor, rich, old, young, challenged, park-loving, ...) with less money than saved by the improved service. In 2008, Government can plan a life-saving, economy-boosting, budget-solving application of 21st Century computer technology to transportation:
• Zero-accident cars will prevent most of California’s 600,000 “accidents” each year.
• Zero-accident cars will save most of California’s $50 billion (combined individuals and business) auto insurance expense.
• Zero-congestion cars will eliminate congestion without spending $billions on new roads.
• Cellphone-based carpooling is the super-convenient transit of the 21st Century.
• Cellphone-based parking meters guide people to open spots and allow schools, businesses, and individuals to rent parking spaces by the minute.
Manufacturers are installing the technology (stability control, navigation systems, self-parking ...) Government is employing the technology (Los Angeles’ time-of-use toll lanes, SF Bay area’s BART parking-available notice, stop-light remotes, ...) Meanwhile, people and California’s economy are dying because our leaders are not pushing for the full potential of 21st Century technology.
The technology is ripe for a five-year “moon shot,” but change is scary. Politicians need some love taps to divert their attention from the status quo. Luckily, the California Democratic Party has given you the means to deliver love taps with their video contest explained at www.summerofchange08.com. Use your vote to deliver a love-tap about working smarter by voting for the video titled, “Hot wheels budget”. Voting is in two rounds: May 20 – 27 and 28 – 31, 2008.
Posted by we_r_right on May 20, 2008 at 8:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Audra Strickland is correct. Illegal immigration is draining the blood from our once vital economy. If the Republican proposed legislation passes (authored by Strickland) about requiring proof of legal residency before applying for State benefits, then billions could be saved. Also, school districts must implement policies requiring proof of LEGAL residency of guardians/parents before registering students. It is absolutely legal, however, ALL guardians/parents must be asked the same question, to avoid discrimination. I don't have a problem with that. There is NO law against this.
Funny, that recently the CVUSD in Thousand Oaks was able to cut over $4 M at their last board meeting. $10,000 was for a damn welcoming breakfast. There were other multi 5 figure events that they were able to cut. And what did you think about their Supt demonstrating on the corner of TO and Moorpark last week? He was the same guy who went to England to "study" for 10 days in November during the height of the school closure and budget crisis. Nice. There is PLENTY of ways to cut the fat in education. How many conferences has the Ojai Supt gone to in the last couple of years? I bet it is an easy $50K worth. Are the kids better educated for this? Cut local school district travel and conference budgets, and expensive school award applications (about $30K per application for teacher time, sub time, clerk typist time, administrator time) before you start attacking Sacramento. Act locally, show up at your board meetings, read the local budgets, demand cut backs on luxuries such as meals, travel, and $5,000 for "inspirational" speakers, and you will have more money for the classrooms.
Posted by marketrealist on May 20, 2008 at 1:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Better solution - don't put non-violent offenders in jail. Make them do work furlough, pay fines through payroll witholdings, or do public service (road cleanups, etc). It costs over $40,000 per year to keep a person in jail. With 1 in 100 people in jail today, we just can't afford this rapidly rising expense. Why should we pay to house, clothe, and feed a person who should be out there working like the rest of the community? It makes no sense whatsoever.
Posted by Arnold on May 20, 2008 at 4:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
We have had such a surplus over the last few years that it won't be necessary to cut education at all really. Even the K-12 schools have un-spent money they have saved in previous years budgets to the tune of 6 billion. Check their financial report this year. Just Google it. I believe they call it their CAFR. They won't have to lay off teachers for years. They even state that the money is for "uncertian financial times". I don't see any that are more uncertian than now.
Posted by ironwoman on May 20, 2008 at 8:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Go to www.cprinc.org and see what the Federal Receiver wants to do to ENHANCE prison medical hospitals and prisons. In a nutshell, he wants to use $$$ 7 BILLION dollars of TAXPAYERS money to give prisoners top of the line medical care...building more prison/hospitals in our own backyard.
Just to think, the State took $$$ 5 Million from Education.
Sorry, it might be off topic but the VOTERS need to make an issue out of this.
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