While the state budget is still in the tank, California is preparing for a special election slated for May 19 on propositions to revise the current budget.
According to an e-mail from the Vice Chancellor for Fiscal Policy of California Community Colleges, Erik Skinner, “It is widely believed that the state’s fiscal condition has deteriorated since the enactment of the February budget package, however, events scheduled for later this month will make it clear by just how much.”
The special election ballot will determine $6 billion that California needs to help the budget. Tom Burke, chief financial officer for the Kern Community College District, said that all propositions need to pass, especially proposition 1C. This would allow the state to borrow $5 billion for the general fund expenses from the state lottery.
“If it doesn’t go through,” Burke said. “It could create a $5 billion shortfall with a $12 to $13 billion shortfall overall.”
Since California’s economic crisis has caused many residents to lose their jobs, community colleges are rising up to the occasion to help those in need of education and job training. Displaced workers are coming back to school to learn vocational skills. The UC and CSU systems have accepted fewer students into their schools which bring them to the community colleges. Demand for enrollment outnumbers resources.
Sandra Serrano, chancellor of the KCCD, asked Bakersfield College, Cerro Coso College and Porterville Colleges, which are the three colleges in the KCCD, “to begin the plan for reductions as much as 10 percent,” according to Burke.
Bakersfield College President Greg Chamberlain is very concerned with the propositions and the budget.
“It’s a tough budget year. The general California public doesn’t know how bad it is. If the initiatives don’t pass, it will get uglier,” Chamberlain said.
Chamberlain said that budget reductions for the campus have been made and no programs have been eliminated. There is a decrease in summer and fall class sections, which will create a longer waitlist than before with more classes.
Chamberlain said that the college plans on decreasing some advertising, but not all. Although BC will be hiring more faculty, the number of faculty members will not increase because of those retiring.
This will increase some savings because newer staff members are not as high up on a pay salary as those who will be retiring.
As far as the 2009-2010 budget goes, there will be uncertainty until the governor’s May budget revisal, which will follow the special election.
The biggest concern for Chamberlain is the students. “We want to make as little impact on students and faculty as possible,” Chamberlain said.
Voting for the propositions will take place on May 19 and the governor’s revise will be out May 28.
California budget special election propositions 2009-2010
Proposition 1A – State finance: Creates a spending cap based on a rolling average of the previous 10 years. Additional funds would be deposited into a special Rainy Day fund.
Proposition 1B – Education finance: Would repay K-14 $9.3 billion over a seven year period beginning in 2011-12.
Proposition 1F – State officer pay: Forbids California Citizens Compensation Commission from raising legislator’s and state officers’ salaries when the state is running a deficit.
Proposition 1C – California lottery: Allows state to borrow $5 billion for the general fund expenditures based on future profits from the state lottery.
Proposition 1D – Child services: Shifts a portion of the cigarette tax dedicated for First 5 California Children and Families Program to fund general fund expenditures.
Proposition 1E – Mental health: Amends the “millionaires tax” for mental health services from 2004’s Proposition 63 to fund some mental health programs funded from the general fund.