L.A. Community Colleges Welcome Proposal for Added State Aid

The Los Angeles Community College District would receive a much-needed infusion of money from the state as a result of Gov. George Deukmejian’s recent proposal to sharply increase allocations for the statewide college system in the coming year, officials learned Wednesday.

The extra money, while welcome, would not be enough to eliminate the $8.8-million budget shortfall projected for the district in the fiscal year that starts July 1, officials said.

Of the $95 million in additional state money that the governor proposes to make available statewide, the Los Angeles district would receive at least $4.2 million, district Budget Director Larry Serot said. As a result, the district would be able to cut its projected deficit nearly in half--good news for a district that just a few months ago was facing the prospect of faculty layoffs to stay solvent.

In March the community college board ordered that layoff notices be sent to 59 full-time instructors, one of a number of drastic measures being considered to cope with cuts in state financial support. Last month, however, the board reversed its decision and rescinded the layoffs after district officials learned that additional state money would become available.

The governor announced last week that because of a surplus of state revenues the state community college system would receive a 7.6% budget increase, instead of the 3.6% raise he initially proposed in January. The proposal for the extra funding, which is not expected to meet resistance in the Legislature, includes $40.3 million statewide to help pay for salary increases and other increases in operating costs due to inflation and $19 million to compensate for enrollment growth.

According to Serot, the Los Angeles district would receive $2.3 million in added cost-of-living funds and $1.9 million to pay for enrollment growth. The district may also qualify for an additional $1.2 million to purchase instructional equipment and $2.3 million for maintenance if it can provide a matching amount--something the district may find difficult.

“The additional money will cut our deficit in half, but it doesn’t restore anything,” Serot said. “It just prevents us from having to make more cuts.”

The board is considering a number of cost-saving measures, such as offering retirement incentives to some senior instructors and selling surplus district property.