"Superintendent plans community budget forum on Wednesday"

Reposted here with the permission of The Davis Enterprise - http://www.davisenterprise.com/local-news/superintendent-plans-community-budget-forum-on-Wednesday/

Davis schools Superintendent Winfred Roberson. Enterprise file photo

With the Davis school district facing unprecedented fiscal challenges, Superintendent Winfred Roberson will lead a community budget forum at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Brunelle Performance Hall at Davis High School, 315 W. 14th St.

"Our objective is to keep the community updated about the district's fiscal position," Roberson said. "We also hope to bring clarity regarding our $3.5 million operation deficit in relationship to the district's other budget challenges.

"Anyone interested in the school district's fiscal outlook is welcome to attend."

The district's budget predicament is indeed complex, in part because several major components are riding on the outcome of decisions that are outside the district's control.

That leaves district administrators in the position of not really knowing how much money will be available during the next budget year.

Ballots were mailed last week for Measure C, a school parcel tax that essentially would renew $6.5 million in annual funding provided by Measures Q and W, which will expire in June.

A total of 86.7 layoff notices will go out to district employees by the state-mandated March 15 notification deadline if Measure C comes up short of the two-thirds majority needed for passage when the vote-by-mail election ends on March 6.

But Wednesday's session at Davis High will focus primarily on the district's stubborn structural deficit, which has been kept at bay with a string of one-time fixes. These have included federal stimulus funds, federal jobs bill money, one-time employee concessions, community donations and a one-time retirement incentive. At this point, there are no more one-time options left, district officials have said.

"This is a discussion to look at the $3.5 million operational deficit (apart from Measure C)," Roberson said. "We want to show the community what steps were taken to protect the district's fiscal health.

"At this meeting, we'll talk about the district's fund balance versus the district's cash balance — that means talking about deferrals of state payments. We want to keep the community informed and bring clarity to any fuzziness that is out there regarding the district's budget.

"I'm hoping that we'll have a full house at the meeting," the superintendent added.

Yet another problem is on the horizon: In the event that Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed November ballot proposition supporting education does not pass, the Davis school district will be hit by $3 million in "trigger cuts."

Brown's ballot measure is being supported by the California Teachers Association. But a different proposal to fund education is being supported by the California Federation of Teachers, and a third ballot measure to fund education by activist/attorney Molly Munger has the enthusiastic backing of the California State PTA.

Some political observers worry that California voters who are faced with three similar-looking initiatives will simply decide to vote no on all of them.

Given the huge fiscal uncertainty stemming from these issues, Associate Superintendent Bruce Colby told the school board on Feb. 2 that this could be the most difficult year for the Davis school district in decades, perhaps ever.

"We want to make sure that we're being open and sharing information, and the district budget is big news right now," Roberson said.

"We want to assure the community that we're taking steps to protect the district fiscally. This is our opportunity to share budget information with the community."

School board president Susan Lovenburg recapped the situation, saying the district is planning for how it will respond to:

• A potential loss of $6.5 million in revenue should Measure C not be approved by voters;
• A structural deficit of $3.5 million due to the exhaustion of federal stimulus and jobs bill funding; and
• The risk of another $3 million reduction in state funding should the governor's November revenue measure not be approved by voters.

"As the community considers their support for Measure C, we would like to provide them with context and the opportunity to ask questions," Lovenburg said.

"Superintendent Roberson has reached out to employees on our campuses and we now invite parents and interested community members to a public information forum with district staff."