School Board Asks Council to Join in Budget Fight

After Monday's grim portrayal of the budget challenge facing the Gilroy Unified School District in the coming year, school officials asked for the Gilroy City Council to join them in efforts to protest those cuts to Sacramento lawmakers.

The most prevalent subject in the joint meeting between the Gilroy City Council and the Board of Education was a potential deficit that board members said is the worst in the district’s history.

“This current budget cycle we’re in is definitely the most challenging that we’ve ever had,” said Deborah Flores, district superintendent.

Facing a loss of as much as $11 million of the typical $50 million in state funding, board members said that they were considering more drastic measures than ever before. 

It was far worse, they said, than the $6 million they were prepared to lose while expecting a financial boost from the extension of certain state taxes.

“People are going to scream 'bloody murder' once we start cutting all of the sports programs, all of the music programs, or if the state in one fell swoop says ‘OK, we’re going to cut 30 more days of school time,’” said Jaime Rosso, school board member.

The additional cuts, he said, would push the district past a "tipping point."

The council agreed to work on a unified resolution with the board that would focus their lobbying efforts in Sacramento. Partnering with the council, the board said, would give more power to their plea.

“There’s no question that the city gets it,” said Mayor Al Pinheiro.

Gilroy police Chief Denise Turner also expressed interest in collaborating on a resolution, noting how a reduced school year meant more time for students to get into trouble.

“I definitely see an impact on public safety,” Turner said.

Board member Rosso stressed to the council that cuts to local schools could have far-reaching impact on a city, making it less attractive for potential home buyers and businesses.

It was a point that Mayor Pinheiro echoed himself. Earlier that day, he had met with a representative from a large semiconductor business who, as part of the company's interest in Gilroy, had a lot of questions about the local schools.

Board members pointed out some of the most positive bullet points in the district: Preliminary data shows Elliot Elementary School as having an Academic Performance Index high enough to warrant sharing its best practices with the rest of the district, and Gilroy High School will a four-year biomedical elective called “Project Lead the Way.”

Positive gains, however, have given lawmakers the impression that the district, and California public schools, could make due with a little less each year, said board member Mark Good.

“Our worst enemy, in a lot of ways, is that over the past four to five years, we’ve continued to do a great job,” said Superintendent Flores.

“It’s gotten to the point that we can’t survive,” Good said. “We’re standing on a street corner, and we get whatever the state gives us.”

A task force established during last week’s school board meeting will work to develop the joint resolution considered by the city council.

Other Highlights

Training for Emergency: During the nine months since becoming head of maintenance operations and chief safety officer for the district, Carlos Pina has worked to coordinate the school’s disaster response with the robust emergency training conducted monthly by city staff. Pina has joined members of the Emergency Operations Center for two of its monthly training sessions to focus on school-specific issues, like a hypothetical hostage situation at Christopher High. Developing a common, disaster-proof radio system is a continued effort.

Preparing for Growth: Kristi Abrams, community development director, provided a map showing the projected construction of new houses within the city. While estimates are based on the “crystal ball” of allotments and economic projections, she said their models showed 636 homes sold in the coming year. With new homes comes new students, and Abrams noted that an unexpected uptick in the economy could cause that number to rise.

A New Aquatic Center: Superintendent Flores and City Administrator Tom Haglund spoke of their efforts to work out a specific agreement for the public to use the brand-new aquatic facility under construction at Christopher High School. The facility is set to be completed along with a new wing in April, said James Bombaci, director of facilities for the district, and will feature several pools and water slides.

On Time, On Track, Library Update: Haglund gave the school board an update on the city library project. Projections place the cost of the building at $34 million–$3 million less than the voter-approved bond to pay for the construction. The project is expected for completion in the spring of 2012. Board member Jaime Rosso said, “I just wanted to say how excited I am … this will be a real source of pride for our community.”