GILROY
– School board trustees begrudgingly endorsed the state budget
bond and also gave a thumbs-up to two local measures.
By Lori Stuenkel
GILROY – School board trustees begrudgingly endorsed the state budget bond and also gave a thumbs-up to two local measures.
Trustees said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposed budget solution – borrowing $15 billion from taxpayers – linked to the balanced budget act is a less-than-ideal solution, trustees said.
“To be honest, I don’t think we have any choice,” an unenthusiastic Trustee Jim Rogers said of Propositions 57 and 58. “Without it, we’re facing a multi-billion-dollar deficit which certainly is going to affect schools and K-12 education.”
School Board President Jaime Rosso pointed out that the California School Boards Association supports the measure because educators fear severe cuts if it fails.
Trustee Bob Kraemer cast the lone dissenting vote, with Tom Bundros and TJ Owens absent. Kraemer chose not to endorse Propositions 57 and 58, saying he preferred the board focus more on school-specific and local measures.
Superintendent Edwin Diaz said that Proposition 58 will force the state Legislature to pass a budget on time, which will in turn help school districts plan ahead financially.
“I think what is critical about this proposition is that the norm in this state is to have a budget passed in late summer or early fall, which makes it difficult as a school district to pass a budget,” he said.
Trustees endorsed two other state measures: Proposition 56, which would require 55 percent of the state Legislature to approve proposed budgets and establishes a rainy day reserve; and Proposition 55, the Public Education Facilities Bond Act.
Gilroy Unified School District trustees unanimously gave their “strong support” to Proposition 55 because it will replace money school districts already planned to use to fund future projects.
“If this doesn’t pass, the total impact for us is $13.7 million out of the Facilities Master Plan,” Diaz said.
Two local measures received enthusiastic support from the board. Measure B, which would provide library funds, will keep library services at their current level. If it fails, local libraries will lose $5.3 million annually and hours will be cut.
The benefit of Measure E, Gavilan College’s $108-million facilities and expansion bond, and its positive influence on Gilroy property values, will far outweigh the costs, said Trustee David McRae.
“I think (Gavilan) President Steve Kinsella has many of the attributes I’ve seen in our superintendent in vision and focus, and I think that’s what education needs more of,” Kraemer said.
