Volume I, No. 6

December 11, 2008

Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education Hearing

The Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Education, chaired by Senator Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles), met on Wednesday, December 10 to hear testimony from the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) and the Department of Finance about the state’s current- and budget-year situation, looking for ways to solve the projected $28 billion deficit and the impacts that such a solution will have on education.

The Subcommittee reviewed the Governor’s proposal to reduce revenue limits and provide flexibility to local educational agencies to mitigate the state’s reduction, as well as the Analyst’s proposal to cut categorical programs that are “poorly structured, create poor incentives, are duplicative of other programs, and/or have fulfilled [their] original purpose.”  The Subcommittee contemplated these proposals in the context of the Senate’s version, which like the LAO proposal, includes cuts to or elimination of categorical programs, rather than an across-the-board reduction in revenue limits.  There are a few differences between the LAO and Senate proposals, including proposals to eliminate funding for the MTYRE Operational Grants Program, the Williams settlement Emergency Repair Program, and instructional materials.  Click here to view the LAO report outlining the proposals:

http://www.lao.ca.gov/handouts/education/2008/Special_Session_Overview_Prop98.pdf.

Although the Subcommittee took no action yesterday, Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg, when addressing the Republican members of the Committee, asked if there is anything that can be done by the end of next week.  Finally, Senator Romero indicated that there will be future hearings of the Subcommittee to look at a state economic stimulus package that includes school construction projects.

~Patti Herrera

pherrera@m-w-h.com