With pitfalls aplenty still out there at press time, lawmakers in Sacramento entered the stage last week where “real” negotiations on a 2008-09 state budget were starting to happen. Meanwhile, educators ramped up efforts to oppose any structural budget changes that would undermine Proposition 98.

“ACSA and the Education Coalition continue to support the conference committee’s (July 8) budget proposal as the least destructive financially for public education for 2008-09,” said ACSA Executive Director Bob Wells. “We’re holding news conferences, airing radio spots and advocating in the Capitol for a budget solution that protects our schools and our students and avoids further cuts.”

The Budget Conference Committee passed an education package in July funding Proposition 98 at $59.128 billion. The proposal would provide $2.3 billion more than that provided in the governor’s May Revision.

The press and pundits have reported on specific deals struck between Senate Democrats and the governor that included everything from a temporary sales tax hike to the return of Schwarzenegger’s lottery securitization proposal. However, the Republican Caucus position remained sketchy and is expected to be a linchpin in any final deal.

While the rumors are swirling in and out of the Capitol, ACSA remains dedicated to a “yes” vote on the conference committee budget to prevent deeper cuts to schools and students.

“What’s distressing to us is that any cuts to education would essentially lock us into current spending levels, which we all believe is insufficient,” said ACSA Legislative Advocate Adonai Mack.

Meanwhile, the governor said he would sue State Controller John Chiang over his refusal to implement Schwarzenegger’s executive order to cut the pay for thousands of state employees to $6.55 an hour. Chiang has noted the state ended July with $5 billion more than the governor had projected in May. In addition, the controller’s office has stated that adjusting the state’s antiquated computer payroll system to handle such an order would require months of work.

Chiang issued a statement calling the governor’s lawsuit misguided: “Rather than focus on building consensus for a budget that addresses California’s long-term fiscal problems, the governor seems adamant on picking a fight over whether state employees are entitled to the wages they have worked for and earned,” he said. “Turning to the courts to help him run the state without a budget is nothing more than a distraction from badly needed budget reforms and is the absolute wrong playbook for the state. Although I will continue to fight to pay public servants their full wages, it is unfortunate that taxpayers will now have to foot the bill for this governor’s reckless and unnecessary legal battle. We should be focusing on fixing our long-term budget needs.”
Hopefully, a state budget acceptable to education will get passed sooner rather than later.

“We’re disappointed that the back-to-school season is filled with such budget uncertainty, and we’re committed to making our message heard by the governor and lawmakers,” Wells said. “We encourage school leaders to connect with lawmakers and to share local stories about how further cuts will jeopardize programs and services for students.”