(California) State could use federal school funding to help close budget gap

[alp227]

Source: Los Angeles Times

Reporting from Sacramento —

The federal government recently handed $1.2 billion to California schools to help save teachers' jobs. But education advocates fear that state legislators will use the funds to shrink California's $19.1-billion deficit instead.

That is not what President Obama and congressional Democrats intended. The money is meant to supplement school funding — already set in every other state — so laid-off teachers can be rehired and others' jobs saved.

But California is 50 days into the new fiscal year without a budget, and it is unclear how much money the state will devote to schools.

State Senate leader Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) and Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez (D-Los Angeles) have proposed suspending the formula that guarantees minimum school funding in California. Knowing the federal money is coming, they could subtract up to $1.2 billion from whatever sum they decide schools need.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-schools-budget-20100819,0,719776.story

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Democrat-on-Democrat fight right here. Obama needs to put some more pressure on California to get that damn budget in line. Sanctions perhaps?

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. Lottery redux?

[arbusto_baboso]

2. Of course it will.

Anyone who has followed Cali politics over the last 20 years could tell you that.

[joeglow3]

3. Great - One year fix

Convince me you won't have this same problem next year....and the following year.....and the following year....etc.