GOP Blocks Budget Over School Funds : Money for L.A. Unfair to Suburban, Rural Districts, Nolan Says

Assembly Republicans, protesting what they said was the use of state money to end the Los Angeles teachers strike, blocked passage Monday of a proposed $49.5-billion Assembly version of the state budget.

The budget, which had been moving toward a two-house conference committee for further negotiations, failed on a 44 to 32 vote. It needed a two-thirds majority, or 54 votes, for passage.

The protest was led by GOP Assemblyman Pat Nolan, who complained that his Glendale school district and other suburban and rural districts were being shortchanged by urban Democrats responsible for dividing up education financing.

Nolan, in an emotional debate after Democrats rejected a budget amendment to provide more financial aid to suburban and rural districts, said districts throughout the state “have been cheated to help bail out the Los Angeles school strike.”

The Republican assemblyman distributed a legislative staff analysis showing that a wide range of disparities exists in education funding in the state.

‘Blatantly Unfair’

Nolan said that while the Los Angeles Unified School District receives $1,045 per pupil in funding for various special education programs, a nearby district, Alhambra Unified, receives only $232 per student. He called the funding formulas used by Democrats “blatantly unfair.”

Republicans complain that money for the school strike is contained in a Democratic bill that contains $427 million in unspecified allocations to school districts.

Democrats denied the claim. Assemblywoman Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), who participated in negotiations with Los Angeles school district officials that led to a settlement of the strike, denied that any agreement was made in Sacramento about specific dollars going to the Los Angeles district. Waters called Nolan’s ploy a publicity stunt.

Republicans said they will continue to block passage of the budget until they win concessions from Democrats leading to a more equitable distribution of state financial aid to school districts.

Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) said the lower chamber will meet every day at 8 a.m. until there is agreement on the budget.