California Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata said today that Democrats are prepared to hold up the state budget into the fall if Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger insists on cutting education spending -- and he called for increasing taxes.
"We're not going to make cuts in our classrooms," Perata said during a news conference outside C.K. McClatchy High School in Sacramento where he was joined by school officials and students.
Facing a projected $8 billion state budget deficit, Schwarzenegger is proposing across-the-board cuts of 10 percent in state spending. Education officials estimate that would reduce K-12 spending by roughly $5 billion.
"Savaging 10 percent of the school budget is no choice at all," Perata said. "We're not going to make that choice."
The Sacramento County Office of Education estimates school budgets in the county would be cut by $85 million and that more than 600 school employees could lose their jobs. Also cut would be programs such as art, music, physical education, summer school and library sevices.
Dave Gordon, superintendent of the Sacramento County Office of Education, said districts throughout the region would be be affected.
"Folsom-Cordova might have to cut 156 teachers and raise class sizes," said Gordon at the news conference. "San Juan is considering laying off 126 teachers and about 19 other staff and reducing athletic programs."
Gordon said the Elk Grove school district that he formerly ran is facing a $25 million budget shortfall and could halt class-size reductions in high schools and increase kindergarten classes from 20 to 22 students.
Perata, D-Oakland, was joined at the news conference by other Democratic lawmakers, including Sen. Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento.
Perata said Democrats are prepared to cut other state services -- but not education -- and suggested the state should raise taxes to increase revenues.
"We're looking at everything, including (rolling back) tax breaks," he said.
Chris Bertelli, an education spokesman for the governor, said Schwarzenegger remains opposed to new taxes.
"The governor has said repeatedly that the (people) of California are taxed enough," Bertelli said.
Bertelli noted the GOP governor's budget "has been on the table for two months" and chided Democrats for holding press conferences instead of negotiating and proposing specific solutions.
"We continue to have a spending problem in Sacramento because we cannot put enough money away during good years," Bertelli said.
Perata suggested a budget logjam will not be broken by June 15, the perenially ignored deadline for the Legislature to have a spending planning, or the start of the July 1 fiscal year.
"If Republicans could hang on last year for 30 days ... we can do no worse," said Perata, noting that "Democrats in the 1990s held out until October."
Call Aurelio Rojas, Bee Capitol Bureau, (916) 326-5545.
