NEWS RELEASE SENT ON BEHALF OF SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD PRESIDENT JOHN EVANS, JUNE 25, 2013
Board President Proposes Three-Year Budget Planning with School Stabilization Fund
A plan to move from one year budget planning to a three-year plan will be proposed by San Diego Unified Board President John Lee Evans at Tuesday's board meeting. Part of the plan is to use planned property sales for a School Stabilization Fund to bridge the gap as increased funds gradually start coming in from the state over the next three years.
Because voters approved Proposition 30, funding will gradually be increased to pre-recession levels by 2020. Last year the shortfall to maintain San Diego schools was about $120M. Proposition 30 will add about $30M to our budget next year. As a result, the shortfall will be reduced to about $88M. The budget being approved Tuesday night will meet that shortfall through employee attrition and property sales.
"As we move towards more predictable state funding, we need to take a longer term budget view to stabilize our schools," Dr. Evans said. "We can no longer stand for the annual turmoil of budget planning. I am also proposing that we formally designate revenue from property sales be placed into a School Stabilization Fund. This will allow for us to maintain stability in our schools as our state revenues gradually catch up with our needs."
The board will formally approve the budget Tuesday night, but it will be revised in July after the state provides exact numbers following the Governor's signature. At that point Evans is proposing that the staff also bring back for board approval a high level budget plan for the following two years. That plan will indicate how much of the property sales (estimated to be over $120M) will be utilized each year to bridge the gap in funding.
"Whatever amount of funds that we have to work with each year, our direction to the Superintendent will be to prioritize those expenditures that have the greatest effect on student achievement. We must do that to achieve our goal of quality schools in every neighborhood of San Diego."
Contact:
Dr. John Lee Evans, Board of Education President
619-725-5550