Posted on 11/24/2004 8:57:54 AM PST by NormsRevenge
Los Angeles Unified has until Dec. 15 to come up with $110 million of budget cuts or it faces a lower financial rating by the Los Angeles County Office of Education, district officials said Tuesday. If LAUSD fails to submit a potential list of cuts for the 2005-06 school year, its certification could fall for the first time ever from ``positive'' to either ``qualified'' or ``negative.''
Sharp cuts made earlier this year have put the district in stable financial shape for 2004-05, but the Office of Education says the district is on course for a $110 million shortfall in 2005-06.
Any decline in the district's financial standing with the county could lead to higher interest rates on LAUSD bonds, officials said.
But district leaders said they were hesitant to announce politically sensitive cuts ahead of the holiday season, especially when the district could receive more state funding next year. Officials said they won't know how much state money is on its way until Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger presents his budget to lawmakers on Jan. 10.
Complying with the county request could ``send trauma to the community and the employees in the system in the holiday season,'' LAUSD Controller Richard Knott said.
Still, Superintendent Roy Romer said he plans to draw up a list of possible cuts that could be added back to the budget after Schwarzenegger announces how much schools will receive when the budget is released. The school board is expected to decide on the cuts on Dec. 7 and Dec. 14.
``It could be altered or undone if you had that positive result in January,'' Romer said. ``It would be so much more rational if we could say to the county, `Let's wait until we get all the facts on the table.' We don't seemingly have that option.''
While LAUSD has always maintained a positive certification, other financially strapped school districts, including Long Beach, have seen their county ratings lowered.
Board President Jose Huizar said it might be hard, but the district should strive to maintain its positive certification.
``It's more of a message to the county and the public that we're taking control of our finances,'' Huizar said. ``If at the end of the day, this board and the superintendent feel we've done all we can, then yes, but I think we should aim for a positive certification''.
As opposed to the trauma we face every April 15th?
>>>Complying with the county request could ``send trauma to the community and the employees in the system in the holiday season,'' LAUSD Controller Richard Knott said.
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