School District Weary of Mid-Year Cuts from State

After months of wrangling with the particulars of their budget for the coming year, staff from the Gilroy Unified School District expressed caution in a report to the school board on Thursday that mid-year “triggers” at the state level could rob the district of millions of dollars in funding.

The particulars of continued state funding were complicated, dependent on unknown revenue factors that board members said were difficult to plan around.

 “It’s very very difficult to have an intelligent conversation about our budget under these circumstances,” said board member Jaime Rosso, “We try to educate the community, but it’s hard to have a conversation ourselves when we’re not sure what the numbers are.”

The bottom line: if state revenue doesn’t hit certain benchmarks by January, district planners will have to scramble to cut over three million dollars from their expenditures before the end of the school year, according to Kirsten Perez, director of fiscal services for the school district.

Other highlights:

• Superintendent Deborah Flores delivered an update of the district’s goals, expressing positive developments in violence prevention and academic performance. Board President Rhoda Bress asked that staff consider adding enhanced communication with parents as a goal.

• A cost-sharing agreement with the city of Gilroy for the use of soon-to-be completed pool facilities at Christopher High School was approved. When the facility opens to the public in May, Gilroy will share half of the cost of its operation. City residents will get access to the water-slide equipped activity pool half of the time, and the competition-size pool one quarter of the time. The Gilroy City Council will eventually vote on the agreement.