It means district managers have figured out a way, at least for another fiscal year, to stave off teacher layoffs.
And it means yet another year of quality education for students.
When it comes to city government, the effect of California’s $14.5-billion budget gap and the proposed state cuts it has sparked is more pronounced, with Burbank facing cuts to library operations and to a program that allocates overtime money to police officers. But these cuts, which total less than $150,000, don’t touch staffing either.
And again, look at L.A., where city officials — after already axing several million dollars in programs — are still looking into ways to trim $40 million from last year’s budget.
On the heels of a writers strike that did a good amount of damage on the area’s economy, Burbank is still on relatively firm financial ground.
Revenues over the next five years, for instance, are projected to increase from $138.5 million this financial year to $158.5 million by 2012, with good news for city tax revenue that fourth quarter retail sales in October, November and December increased by 6.2%.
Given the writers strike’s bite into the area’s economy late last year and early this year, it’s nice to hear that the area’s municipal economy has some hope, even in an economic downturn and in the midst of a massive state budget deficit.
But that’s no reason to sit back and cruise.
State gas tax reimbursement payments of about $800,000 to Burbank may be lost temporarily with a state that has no cash.
And even though schools can move forward with a 2008-09 budget without any major decisions, what comes afterward could be trouble. The district’s reserve will be tapped out by fiscal year 2009-10 without any changes before that. And the rising cost of fuel and declining enrollment will also have an impact.
As Supt. Gregory Bowman said, the storm hasn’t even started yet.
But as Burbank proves, with prudent management right now, the district and the city can weather that storm when it comes.
