McKinney's Moments: A Not-so-Perfect Storm

An article in the Hesperia Star on January 8, 2010, highlighted the tremendous challenge that faces Hesperia Unified for the next fiscal year. I described the financial storm that continues to build in the State of California, and the enormous impact it is having on our school district. Little did I know that the weather front would soon turn into a hurricane. Based on the Governor’s proposed revised budget, our 2010 budget deficit has now increased from $8 million to a potential $13 million.

It would be impossible to capture the reasons for our current financial woes in a single snapshot. For years our District has been living within its means, hiring employees and implementing programs as the funding allowed. With the worsening economy, our enrollment was impacted, which in turn, resulted in a loss of students. To make the situation worse, the Legislature began making, and continues to enact significant and untimely cuts to funding for public education.

Our primary business is to educate children, and we continue to fulfill that charge in spite of the budgetary obstacles. As a public school district in the State of California, we are also required by the state and federal governments to provide a myriad of auxiliary services and programs. Often these mandates are unfunded, or only funded for a slight percentage of the overall costs involved. In addition, the monies we receive for the children attending our schools are regulated through a complex and sometimes convoluted system of bookkeeping and restrictions.

The Governor’s newest proposed budget is devastating to us. Budget reductions are being crafted in such a way that they appear to pit employee groups against one another so as to prevent a united opposition to the severe cuts that are being made to education. Because our District is committed to providing a quality education to the children in our care, we are already laying the groundwork for possible reductions in salaries, benefits, programs, services and people. In order to preserve the integrity of the services we currently offer to students and the community, all employee groups will need to work collaboratively to find solutions. There comes a point, however, when you can’t eliminate any more people and/or programs without operations grinding to a halt.

I would ask that our parents, staff and community members consider contacting our state legislators to demand that they retract the proposed additional cuts to education. To assist you in this endeavor, legislative contact information is provided at the end of this article.

For our part, we will commit to cutting expenditures and operating on as lean a budget as possible. We also pledge to continue our dedicated efforts to ensure that your children are provided educational opportunities that will prepare them for life after high school, college and beyond. We must continue working together to counterbalance the ravaging effects of this state budget crisis.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

State Capitol Building

Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone:(916) 445-2841

Fax: (916) 558-3160 (new number)

Congressman Jerry Lewis

2112 Rayburn House Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20515

Phone (202) 225-5861

Fax: (202) 225-6498

1150 Brookside Avenue, Suite J-5

Redlands, CA 92373

Phone: (909) 862-6030

Toll Free: 1-800-233-1700

Senator George Runner

State Capitol, Room 4090

Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone: (916) 651-4017

Fax: (916) 445-4662

14343 Civic Drive, First Floor

Victorville, CA 92392

Phone: (760) 843-8414

Fax: (760) 843-8348

Assemblyman Anthony Adams

State Capitol Building

Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone (916) 319-2059

Fax: (916) 319-2159

540 W. Baseline Rd., Suite 16

Claremont, CA 91711

Phone: (909) 625-1038

Fax: (909) 625-1063

Assemblyman Steve Knight

State Capitol Building

Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone: (916) 319-2036

Fax: (916) 319-2136

14343 Civic Drive

Victorville, CA 92392

Phone: (760) 843-8045

Fax: (760) 843-8396

We are pleased to announce that our new Superintendent’s blog has been launched Please go to the HUSD Web site (www.hesperia.org), open the Superintendent’s page, and click on the link to access the Superintendent’s blog. Feel free to contact me in this manner with any questions or concerns you may have regarding the District.