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After months of delay, the California legislature finally passed an
operating budget a few weeks ago. We should all be relieved that officials
on both sides of the political aisle were finally able to hammer out
a document that could garner enough support to satisfy the 2/3 requirement
for passage.
Given the circumstances, it was clearly the best anyone could
do.
The educational community was particularly pleased that there were
no additional cuts to schools, especially since districts throughout
the state are still struggling to grapple with the $2.3 billion in
cuts to education that had already been imposed this year.
Now the real work begins. The legislature was able to produce an operating
budget for this year, but it did not provide even a nod toward a long-range
solution. Realistically, this wasn’t the year when that could
occur, in light of the politics swirling around the gubernatorial recall
election. The serious issues remain and must be addressed.
First, California cannot survive on credit-card financing. Our credit
rating is already the lowest in the nation. Second, the budget agreement
provided no structural tax reform, which is urgently needed. Without
long-term solutions we will face the identical situation next year.
What needs to be done?
Primarily, we must learn from the situation that unfolded. We must
heal the wounds that were inflicted and move forward in a bipartisan
manner. We must begin immediately working on long-range, structural
solutions.
These structural changes must refocus on the founding principles of
our democracy, fostering MORE local control, not less. The state must
resist costly, unrealistic, one-size-fits-all mandates that create
more problems than they solve.
One lesson learned throughout this process is the continuing truism
that “Less is more.” We need more flexibility, especially
in terms of education funding, where districts’ needs vary so
dramatically. The state needs to set educational standards, determine
how they will measure progress toward those standards, supply the resources,
and then stand aside and let districts determine the best way to meet
those standards in light of their own student population, resources,
and approaches. This approach makes the most sense and saves the most
money because it doesn’t mandate expenditures that might not
be needed in dozens of districts.
In general, our legislature needs to work toward the common good and
set aside the partisan passions that poison the opportunity for cooperation.
They need to heal, rebuild and restore confidence in the institution
of state government and the ability to lead, set state policy, address
the serious issues that confront us, and do what’s needed “for
the good of the order.”
We in education are quite accustomed to those outside our institution
providing constructive criticism and suggestions for improvement. We
make these suggestions to our legislature in the same spirit of support
and cooperation.
The budget is passed. But the real work has just begun -- to heal the
rifts and craft a structural solution that truly solves the financial
problems, while protecting the state’s children and families.
Our leaders reflect those they serve. We must all use rhetoric that
reflects the seriousness of the task at hand, put aside our differences,
and support bipartisan efforts to make the hard choices.
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