Tough Choices, Hard Cuts
Paulie Brading
As a newbie school board member appointed last July I thought I knew board members and administrators have to make difficult choices about personnel and fringe benefits, the most costly portions of any school district budget from time to time.A long came the shortfall for the current state two year budget that ends June 30, 2009 which has grown from $142 million to $855 million in less than three months. For k-12 education it could result in closing schools one, two or three weeks early and or hundreds of school employees receiving pink slips before this school year ends. I'm not going to get into the need for adequate and stable funding or the long overdue structural tax reforms needed to reduce uncertainity and volatility caused by Oregon's current tax system.
Board members from our district thought it might be productive to go to Salem and meet with our legislators. We thought the state could help local districts share the responsibility for the devastating cuts. We already knew the governor had adopted a "don't talk to me about it" stance in which he has vowed to veto any move to use the Rainy Day Fund or the Educational Stability Fund, saying they would be needed for the next crushing blow coming to our state in the next biennium. Schools across Oregon have been asked to slash approximately 30% out of their budgets in the last four months of this school year. Drastic measures will be required except in the few "growing" districts in the state. Districts with declining enrollments are the hardest hit.
We shuttled from the House side to the Senate side and met with eight legislators.
The first, a Democrat fully understood the crisis and the impact on our schools. She had deep knowledge of the business of school districts having served on her local school district's school board. The second, a Republican also appeared to be well informed although he stated the Republican Caucus had already voted not to cut a single school day. That stance seemed to be a tactic to make the Democratic majority do all the dirty work while the R's sit back to watch the chaos. The next Republican informed us there was no budget crisis in K-12 and stated if the Republicans were in charge they could fix the budget the very next day. Wow! Next, we met with another Republican who strayed off topic to discuss the automobile industry. We made several attempts to bring him back to the K-12 topic. Three Democrats later, each of whom had the details and knew the impact of the shortfall wanted to proceed thoughtfully. Unfortunately, the school districts in Oregon need assistance now.
Now is the time for our legislators to show some strong political will. Our district did not ask for all of the Education Stability Fund. We asked for shared responibility between the state and the district. We are looking for a portion of the Education Stability Fund.
These times are especially difficult for our students, their parents, the local tax payers, school officials and boards. Consider taking a moment to contact the governor now. All of us must stand up for the children of Oregon. Help save a few instructional days and fewer pink slips to school employees. Thanks in advance.
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11:05 a.m.
Feb 23, '09
Do you disagree with Gov. K's premise that such funds will not be needed in the next biennium? Do you think the economy is going to improve? Do you think we can enact an new tax to bring in more revenue in the next biennium?
It seems to me that some level of cuts are needed, and that we should try to cut so that programs are stable after a one time cut. That is no big cuts the rest of this year, then more funds for next year. No pretending we do not need to cut this year, then having bigger cuts next year. We should aim for continuity at whatever level we think we can afford over the next few years. Is that your approach, and that it requires some "rainy day funds" in this school year to make that smooth transition?
11:32 a.m.
Feb 23, '09
Paulie - So what will you do in the 2009 - 2011 biennium when the shortfall constitutes an even larger portion of the budget?
Dave is correct about the need for continuity across the current FY and the 2009-2011 biennium.
11:32 a.m.
Feb 23, '09
Paulie - So what will you do in the 2009 - 2011 biennium when the shortfall constitutes an even larger portion of the budget?
Dave is correct about the need for continuity across the current FY and the 2009-2011 biennium.
12:41 p.m.
Feb 23, '09
I'm not going to get into the need for adequate and stable funding or the long overdue structural tax reforms needed to reduce uncertainity and volatility caused by Oregon's current tax system.
Paulie, i understand your reticence to get into this issue, but until our political leadership shows some backbone on the revenue side, we'll just lurch from crisis to crisis.
Forgotten in all the coverage about this issue is the fact that PPS already has one of the shortest school years in the country; that we have no athletics, arts, or music in middle schools; and that we have a troublingly high dropout rate.
I thought this was about legacy building for the Governor. I thought this was about how the Democratic majority would be better stewards of the budget.
Leading the nation in percentage of funds cut from the K-12 budget is not much to be proud of.
Feb 23, '09
Paulie, what you're suggesting is the equivalent of someone who gets laid off just continuing to blow through his savings as though nothing had changed. He says, "Hey, I know things are bad, but I don't want to give up my cable and computer and cell phone, I don't want to start eating pasta every night, I don't want to start clipping coupons and shopping at WinCo. I'll do that stuff if I need to, but what is my savings for if not for avoiding cuts to my monthly budget?"
I think we would all agree that is foolish. He should cut back on expenses immediately and try to keep his savings as long as he can. The state should do the same thing. This recession is the real thing. It's not going to get better next school year. It may not get better for the school year after that. The Education Stability Fund is going to be spent before this thing is over, but why in the world would you push for it to be spent now? Why is cutting a few days this year worse than cutting two or three times that next year?
2:19 p.m.
Feb 23, '09
What's interesting (or pathetic) if you will, is the lack of courage so far in addressing a problem that goes back decades. That's meaningful tax reform. It's now the third rail in state politics.
Doesn't matter if it's a Democrat or a Republican, very few of them will talk publically about it, and even less will profess any kind of coherent plan.
The deficit is close to 4 Billion dollars for the next 2 and a half years and yet there's nothing coming from the legislature about real tax reform.
If they won't even put the issues on the table without couching it in political babble about not wanting to go there because of the deficit, then how huge must the deficit become before they do?
Now's the time to be talking about it, not after this recession is over, because it will be just like the last 30 years, once the emergency is over, the political polarization begins again and again, nothing will be done about it.
3:49 p.m.
Feb 23, '09
The next Republican informed us there was no budget crisis in K-12 and stated if the Republicans were in charge they could fix the budget the very next day. Wow!
I'm dying to hear what this Republican said was the solution. If they really think they've got a solution, let's hear it - this is no time to keep a secret!
(Though I suspect it has something to do with cutting taxes - the All-Powerful Republican Solution to Every Problem in the Universe.)