The Hollister School District used a quick fix to a burgeoning
budget problem Tuesday night when trustees voted to transfer
$600,000 from reserve funds to cover a deficit caused by a
combination of unexpected costs in programs such as special
education and pay increases in administrative salaries.
Hollister – The Hollister School District used a quick fix to a burgeoning budget problem Tuesday night when trustees voted to transfer $600,000 from reserve funds to cover a deficit caused by a combination of unexpected costs in programs such as special education and pay increases in administrative salaries.
However, using the reserves is only a short-term solution, meaning the board still has to decide how to eliminate the estimated $350,000 deficit in 2005-2006 fiscal year and $1.2 million deficit the year after.
The Hollister School District Board of Trustees voted 4-1 in favor of saving personnel like classified employees and teaching and lab assistants from budget cuts this year with the transfer of reserve funds. Classified employees and teachers anxiously have awaited for over a month to find out what the district would do to balance its $860,000 budget deficit.
Alice Flores was the dissenting vote, saying she opposed the transfer because dipping into the reserve too frequently was a bad sign and a potential indicator a district was heading towards bankruptcy.
“We’re not the state of California, we are just a little school district,” said Flores. “Once our reserves are spent, we won’t be able to do business adequately.”
California School Employees Association applauded the board’s decision not to make cuts mid-year. However, the cloud of uncertainty still hovers over classified employees, who hope the cuts are made far away from school sites.
“The custodians and the secretaries are behind the scenes, but they also support our kids and are badly needed,” said Alicia Parra, president of the classified employee’s union.
The dip into reserves, leaves about $3.8 million in the district’s coffers. The total includes the building fund and a special reserve created for district emergencies.
Trustees agreed that utilizing reserves is a temporary solution to a larger problem, but differed in opinions about how the district could raise money in upcoming years. Dr. Dee Brown said she would refuse to cut to any school programs while she was on the board, while Randoll Phelps urged the district to trim next year’s budget by $400,000.
“The fiscal problem we have is our whole community’s problem,” said Phelps, who was elected to the board in November. “Believe me, the last thing I want to do is make cuts to classrooms, but we’re a little bit under siege here. No one is going to ride in from Sacramento to save us.”
Brown also suggested the district look into sending a parcel tax to voters, which she said was relatively easy to implement and would add about $40-50 more in property taxes to save classrooms from further cuts.
Superintendent Judith Barranti said she was prepared to work with the school’s unions to figure out where the cuts would come from.
Teachers also welcomed Tuesday’s decision, calling it prudent and wise.
“It shows they value the children and don’t want the budget problems to impact them,” said Valerie Pennington, a teacher at Marguerite Maze Middle School.
The recent budget deficit comes almost six months after the board made $2 million in budget cuts last June which increased class sizes for grades four through eight, and also kindergarten.
In order to save additional money, the district has considered cutting classified jobs, meaning school library hours could be shortened and some computer labs closed. The district is expected to pick up the issue at its next meeting February 15.
Karina Ioffee covers education for the Free Lance. Reach her at (831)637-5566 ext. 335 or ki*****@fr***********.com
