May 13, 2010 -- The Board of Education on Monday revised the number of Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District staff cuts to 58 following a ruling by an administrative law judge. The Board had previously approved layoff notices for 61 teachers, counselors and nurses.

Judge Amy C. Lahr ruled last month that Roosevelt Elementary School first-grade teacher Mara Chenik should not be let go because the District’s determination of the date she began as an employee was incorrect. Seniority is the major determining factor for layoffs.

Two other District employees who had received layoff notices in March will retain their jobs because the SMMUSD reinstated them prior to Lahr’s hearing. They are John Adams Middle School counselor Laura Check and Santa Monica High School advisor Maribel Pulido.

For various reasons, Lahr ruled against the other District staff members who brought their cases to her. Those employees are scheduled to lose their jobs when the school year concludes, although the District could reinstate them prior to finalizing its 2010-11 fiscal year budget next month.

Also, any unexpected changes to the District staffing after the budget is finalized would create new job openings that could possibly be filled by the employees who were let go.

The Board was forced to approve the layoffs because the District is facing an eight-figure deficit next fiscal year. This is due to a reduction in the amount of money coming from the SMMUSD’s greatest revenue source, the State government. Gov.

Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday will release his updated budget proposal, known as the May Revise. At that time, the District will get a better sense of how much money it will receive from Sacramento. But an exact amount will not be known until a 2010-11 State budget is finalized, and it could be a long time before that happens.

The SMMUSD must finalize its budget before July 1, and the Board is scheduled to vote on it on June 18. The District must make its budget based the most recent information of how much State money it will receive. If the final State budget is differs from this, then the SMMUSD must adjust its budget accordingly.

The passage of Measure A, the $198 per-parcel tax proposal currently before voters in a mail-in election, would generate an estimated $5.7 million per year for five years for the District. If the measure receives approval, at least some of the District employees who received layoff notices could be brought back.

The Measure A ballots were sent out last month. They must be returned by May 25 either through the mail or at drop-off locations at Santa Monica City Hall and two places in Malibu. The drop-off locations will only be open on May 25. Measure A requires approval from two-thirds of the voters for passage.

Those favoring the measure say the money is desperately needed to fill a portion of the budget gap. The opponents have various arguments, with their major one being that the tax is unfair in their opinion because all property owners must pay it regardless of the property size. Senior property owners can file for a tax exemption.

For more information on the arguments in favor of Measure A, go to www.savesantamonicamalibuschools.org. The arguments against the measure can be found at www.nosneakattax.com.