City's "Historic Blueprint" to Fund Schools Guarantees Accountability

By Mayor Richard Bloom

Financial support to our public schools, via a joint use agreement, has been a cornerstone of city policy for many years. In 1999, my first year in office, the council increased its ongoing contribution by $250,000 per year -- achieving an unprecedented total of $3 million.

Combined with other funds earmarked for other youth programs, the total city budget for young people now excess $15 million per year -- a sizeable chunk.

In spite of our efforts, our local public schools continue to operate in “crisis mode” as a result of overall economic uncertainty and the California state budget crisis. In response, the City Council has allocated millions of dollars of additional funding from “one-time” funds that are not predictably available on an ongoing basis.

Our City has a multitude of important responsibilities and programs that benefit the public health, safety and welfare – our own “Three ‘R’s.” Hence, in virtually every context, we can be very proud of our special commitment to quality public education.

I have a special understanding of the importance of this aid because my two children, currently at SAMOHI, have attended our public schools since kindergarten. Every year, Robbie and I cringe as we consider the implications of diminished school funding.

Less money means fewer programs, larger class sizes and a generally downward trend in our schools’ ability to provide an excellent education. Of course, our children, Emmett and Zac, are only two of about 12,000 district children. Our district is diverse and includes many children with special needs and from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Like every other resident, we are blessed by the breadth and quality of the many services the City provides -- from quality parks and library facilities and programs to the highest standards of public safety. We were reminded of this, recently, when we called on the Santa Monica Fire Department to respond to a healthcare emergency. The response was highly professional and virtually instantaneous.

It is clear that the need for city assistance to our schools will continue into the future. In this context, it is time for the City of Santa Monica to find a way to sustain and enhance its ongoing contribution in a way that provides predictability and certainty, while not causing the deterioration of other city services and programs.

In December, I joined the City Council in directing our staff to find a way to double our annual ongoing funding of the district to $6 million. Two weeks ago, City Manager Susan McCarthy provided the first details of an historic blueprint for that increase.

The $6 million plan would be based upon a long discussed, but never implemented long-term joint use agreement between the city and the SMMUSD that would provide for annual increases to keep up with inflation.

The current, annual agreement, is deficient because the school district and the City have different budget cycles. Every year, the district is left wondering what funding it will receive from the City. Knowing that long-term, ongoing funding is available will provide more predictability to the budgeting process.

A group of education advocates have been circulating a ballot measure petition that proposes a different solution to the issue of school funding. Many community leaders, including every member of the City Council, firefighters, police officers, municipal employees and business leaders have criticized this measure because, among other reasons, it would require deep budget cuts in other programs and because it fails to provide for accountability.

The City’s plan will address all of these concerns. The $6 million in enhanced funding would be fully funded only when general fund ongoing revenues are sufficient to move forward. However, “bridge funding” from one-time resources will be identified so that the enhanced amount can begin now while general fund expansion is pending. A reasonable “cost of living” adjustment will be included in the long-term contract, so real-dollar funding will no longer shrink due to inflation.

Principles of good government demand accountability. The City plan provides for accountability in two ways: First, as it does with all of its grantees, the City will routinely review district performance. Second, as a condition of funding, the district will be required to maintain the citizen’s Financial Oversight committee. This highly successful group was formed about four years ago as a requirement of continued city funding.

The city’s plan does not reach the levels of funding called for in the ballot measure proposal and thus will not satisfy some. However, the city’s plan is fiscally responsible and will not require budget cuts in other programs.

Moreover, it will avoid a divisive and destructive battle over funding priorities and does not have the significant drawback of facing a (likely successful) legal challenge. By contrast, the City’s joint use agreement provides a sound legal basis for continued support and guarantees that the residents of Santa Monica will receive additional benefits from the city/school partnership.