Placentia Schools Face Layoffs Over State Budget Cuts

School officials say Gov. Pete Wilson’s proposed 1991-92 state budget would have a drastic impact on the Placentia Unified School District, forcing it to cut programs and lay off staff and faculty members.

If Wilson’s budget is adopted in full, the district would suffer $8.7 million in lost revenue and new expenditures, said Kim Stallings, the assistant superintendent for administrative services.

Stallings told the Placentia Unified School Board on Tuesday that Wilson’s proposed budget is “Draconian” and added: “This is the most serious attack on education in 10 years. (Wilson) is balancing his budget on the backs of schools.”

District staff members and the board will be holding budget talks throughout this month to determine which areas can be trimmed. Although the state budget will be debated for several months, the district is required to notify employees by March 15 if they will lose their jobs in 1991-92.

The district plans to confine cuts to special programs, such as a project to reduce class sizes and another involving mentor teachers, Supt. James Fleming said.

Special elementary music and physical education programs could also be affected, he said. Already, the school board has voted to suspend its driver training program unless state money for the courses is restored.

“It looks bleak,” Fleming said. “I’m not optimistic about what next year is going to do to us. That looks bad.”

He noted that because 85% of the district’s $96-million budget pays for personnel costs, it will be hard to avoid layoffs.

“We don’t have a whole lot of flexibility,” Fleming said. “It may mean people’s jobs.”

The most devastating impact on the district would come from a proposed suspension of Proposition 98, which calls for public schools and community colleges to receive at least 40% of state General Fund revenues, Stallings said.

Wilson has also proposed no cost-of-living increase for school districts.

Next year, property, Social Security and sewer tax boosts--and increases in employee salary, wages and benefits--are expected to cost the district about $5.9 million, Stallings said.

Wilson is proposing cuts that would cost the district about $2.9 million in lost income, he said.

Stallings also said Wilson’s budget makes overly optimistic assumptions about revenue from property taxes and lottery tickets.

The district slashed overtime and tried to reduce use of substitute teachers last year.