Board is hoping voters and the state rescue the budget
By Yvonne Beltzer and Ted Chen | knbc NEWS | http://bit.ly/xxltXQ
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KNBC-TV - Protesters showed up at an LAUSD board budget meeting, but that did not stop the school board from passing a budget they relies on wishful thinking and possibly dire cuts. Ted Chen explains what's at stake.
Tuesday, Mar 13, 2012 | Updated 8:56 PM PDT :: Facing a $500 million shortfall, the Los Angeles Unified School District board bit the bullet Tuesday and approved a worst-case scenario fiscal plan.
The plan would cause deep cuts to after-school programs, adult education and early childhood education, and has called for increasing the size of classes in most grade levels.
Board members hoped, however, they would not have to actually implement the plan – or at least parts of it.
While protestors expressed their fury at demonstrations outside the LAUSD headquarters in downtown Los Angeles, the board listened to proposals that might keep the ax from falling.
"Truly, the picture is not going to be known until election day in November," said LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy.
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Deasy said he was pinning his hopes on a two-fold solution to the budget crisis.
He called for and the board approved a $298 annual parcel tax on all property within the district.
Such a tax would have to win the approval of voters in the district, which two years ago turned down a $100 annual parcel tax.
Deasy was also hoping the state would increase its contribution to the cash-strapped school district.
He said he expects state revenues to surge and the district’s unions to accept furloughs or further sacrifices to maintain the district’s financial health.
Outside the meeting, teachers such as Jose Lara accused the district of offering false choices.
"They’re not prioritizing their budget," he said. "Instead of using their money to fund brand-new schools and bonds, they should use their money to fund current schools right now."
One point of agreement between the demonstrators and the district was where to point the blame: Sacramento.
Deasy lamented the state’s putting up $600 million to fund new prisons and he criticized the attention paid to LACMA’s big boulder.
"It’s not that we’re unhappy for the art museum to have its exhibit, we’re just unhappy that students will have no access or training to appreciate it," Deasy said.
It will cost the district about $4 million to put the proposed parcel tax on the November ballot.
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