Education funding hit in Schwarzenegger plan
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger came out swinging in his State of the State address Wednesday night, hoping to get voters behind him as he prepares to do battle with the Democratic-led Legislature.
He outlined broad reforms four troublesome issues – the state pension system, reforming the prison system, redrawing electoral districts and education, gave few details but called for a special session to face them.
Both Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria, Morgan Hill’s new state senator, and Assemblyman John Laird, D–Santa Cruz, who represents Morgan Hill and San Martin, were in the Assembly chambers for the speech. Feathers were ruffled on the Democratic side of the aisle and few comments received universal applause.
“I was surprised by his throwing down the gauntlet on education,” Laird said. “He promised during the recall campaign to fully fund education and he is going back on his word.”
Schwarzenegger said he would not be sending $1.4 billion in extra revenue from higher than expected state income that would normally go to the schools, according to a Proposition 98 mandate.
Maldonado, formerly an assemblyman, said there were no surprises.
“I thought it went well,” Maldonado said Friday, though he, too, saw a bit of confrontation.
“We have a governor that I believe was showing a frustration of both the Republicans and the Democrats not working together for important things,” Maldonado said. “He’s called a special session to work on them together and I look forward to doing that.”
The 500-pound gorilla – the budget with its $8.1 billion deficit – Schwarzenegger said Wednesday, was still huge. “This is not a revenue problem but a spending problem.”
He did not say what would be cut but will release his 2005-06 budget on Monday.
EDUCATION SPENDING
But the issue that earned the most attention and the loudest cries was his call for reforming the education system. Besides keeping funds the schools could use, he proposed tying teacher pay to performance but did not say how.
“I want to reward good teachers,” Schwarzenegger said.
Closer to home, Morgan Hill School District Superintendent Carolyn McKennan said she has real concerns.
“Perhaps the biggest concern is, will he honor what we are owed under Prop. 98 (where the schools get a percentage of new state revenue),” McKennan said. “It’s a bit alarming.”
The education community was a bit offended by the governor referring to institutional failures as disasters.
“When you are 43rd in the nation in funding and get an A on standards for reading and math – a high bar – that says to us ‘we’re willing to fund you as a third world country,’” she said. “And performance based pay for teachers is a thorny issue at best.”
Board president Shellé Thomas, is waiting to hear from the teachers unions about merit pay.
“Is success based on test scores,” Thomas asked. “It would be nice to think we could have merit pay but where is the money coming from?”
McKennan said she laughed when Schwarzenegger said he wanted fiscal transparency in complicated school funding.
“Mr. and Mrs. America are in for a real treat if they want to try to understand this,” she said. “When we get a dollar it isn’t really a dollar but some part of a dollar based on different formulas.”
Maldonado said he understood why Schwarzenegger would want to reform the system.
“He is frustrated with spending $50 billion a year on education and getting poor results,” Maldonado said.
While the governor did not mention universal preschool, which many early grade teachers say is critically important, Maldonado said he favors it.
“I support universal preschool,” he said. “The problem is the deficit. If we can balance the books, then we can look at it. I’m a farmer and when you give a little extra attention to young plants you get a stronger mature plant.”
Laird was in Morgan Hill Friday, touring Sobrato High School. During a visit to Tracey Murphy’s first period AP World History class he discussed funding education with the students.
“One 10th grader, Cain Ramirez, said that the governor should make more movies and give the proceeds to the education fund,” Laird said.
The assemblyman said he would carry Ramirez’ suggestion to Schwarzenegger when they meet on Tuesday.
Carol Holzgrafe covers City Hall for The Times. She can be reached by e-mail at ch********@*************es.com or phoning (408) 779-4106 Ext. 201.
