School Board Yet to Cover $1.2-Million Deficit

The Inglewood Unified School District’s board has failed for the second week in a row to close a $1.2-million budget deficit that threatens to leave the district unable to pay its employees through June 30, the end of the fiscal year.

Labor unions representing teachers and other employees balked last week when district officials suggested a 2.5% retroactive pay cut for all employees in order to balance the budget.

Then, at a meeting Tuesday, district officials said they might be able to hold the pay cut to 0.5% if the state, as rumored, comes up with a special appropriation to bail out districts with financial problems.

Union representatives said, however, that they would not accept even the 0.5% cut. The shortage is the result of poor management, the union representatives said, charging that the district overpays its administrators. Union and district officials were scheduled to meet today to discuss the situation.

Like other districts, Inglewood received less property tax revenues from the state--in its case, $1 million less--than it had anticipated for the current fiscal year.

County education officials acknowledged Wednesday that there is talk at the state level about emergency legislation that would give districts additional property tax dollars before the end of the fiscal year. Officials cautioned, however, that so far no such legislation has been introduced.

“The state has taken no specific action to backfill on the taxes,” said Janice Crawford, director of communications for the Los Angeles County Board of Education.

Inglewood is one of eight districts being given special scrutiny by the county education office because of poor budget conditions. Centinela Valley Union High School District, Los Angeles Unified School District and Compton Unified School District are also under scrutiny. Centinela is in such bad financial shape that county overseers have taken charge of its finances.