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Negotiations on the budget are occurring and legislators and the Governor need to hear from school board members. 

Assembly and Senate Democrats have put forth plans that reject a cuts-only solution to the budget, provide increased revenues and make a significant investment in education.  While short of a workload budget that provides base funding adjusted for COLA and growth, both proposals fully fund revenue limits, reject cuts to categoricals as proposed by the Governor, restore ongoing funding for programs funded with one-time dollars in 2007-08 and provide a partial COLA.

The budget plans are in the hands of the Budget Conference Committee, which began meeting last week and completed its first round of the items on Wednesday, June 18.  During the first round, action was not taken on most of the biggest items, including funding for schools.  As they take another pass through the budget, they will likely begin to take more significant actions. 

Legislative leaders have been meeting among themselves and with the Governor.  While we don’t believe there has been agreement on any of the major items, with each meeting they may get closer to a resolution. 

Everything in the budget boils down to whether or not there should be new revenues.  Democrats are standing by their position that this budget crisis cannot be solved with cuts alone, and Republicans are holding to their pledge of no taxes. 

Now is a critical time to inform the Conference Committee, as well as your legislators, of your strong support of a balanced approach to making the budget whole. 

Legislators who have voted to support public schools need to know they have your support, and those who continue to support a cuts-only budget need to know you are strongly opposed.

Please send the following letter to members of the Budget Conference Committee.  A copy will be sent to your legislators and the Governor. 

Every message legislators receive counts, so please invest a minute or two to let them know you are watching.