February 14, 2012

Budget watch update

Millionaire's Tax signature trainings

Welcome Table event at Mission campus

Upcoming event reminders

Message to CCSF faculty on deepening budget crisis from AFT 2121

City College of San Francisco budget woes continue on the heels of yet another cut in state funding. Revenues from student fee hikes have not been as rosy as forecasted in the state’s 2011/12 State budget. CCSF learned less than a month ago that it would lose another $2.1 million in addition to the mammoth $13 million loss in State apportionment to CCSF this year. Last Friday, that amount increased by $1.4. The total loss in annual state funding to CCSF since the start of the recession now stands at a staggering $30 million.

The college is littered with the effects of this siphoning off of revenue. More and more vacant positions, especially among classified and administrative ranks, eat at the fabric of the college. Basic services can barely be provided, including payroll, assignment processing, maintenance, and repair. Getting problems addressed, whether equipment failures, technical services, pay, retirement reporting, or personnel issues, takes longer - or happens not at all.

Employees can hardly remember when they last saw a raise. Sacrifices to help the college, including the step freeze in 2009/10, the one percent giveback in 2010/11, and jobs left unfilled, have hardly made a dent in the problem. No wonder morale is so low.

City College faces its most severe crisis

With this latest $3.5 million in cuts from the state, it appears that the college has finally reached the breaking point. It is a wonder that program offerings, both classes and student services, have remained as intact as they have through the crises of the last few years. Not to mention that no significant loss of jobs or layoffs have occurred.

Signs of unraveling, however, are now unmistakable. First came the precipitous cut of some 30 classes from the spring schedule at the last minute in December. Now we see the threat of closures of low-enrollment classes this spring semester, and the further reduction of the 2012 summer program to 40 percent of normal, and finally a developing proposal to cut 8-15 percent of the fall 2012 program. If this occurs, students will be turned away from City College in droves while less senior faculty (part-timers) will lose classes and face layoffs.

Missteps by the administration and Board of Trustees last fall hastened the unraveling. When the college’s budget committee proposed a pared back 2011/12 budget, the board restored $1.9 of $3.8 million in proposed cuts plus making other program expansions this last fall. After the growth year of 2010/11, which saw the highest student body ever at CCSF, common sense dictated a measured retrenchment this year, especially after 3,000 full-time equivalent students (FTES) were de-funded by the state. Savings in the instructionally-related and day-to-day substitute account have been minimal. The administration gathered up surplus dollars wherever it could find any, e.g. student services, contract education, and parking to shore up this year’s budget hole. The bad news is these monies won’t be there to patch an even worse budget hole in 2012/13.

Where are we headed?

The college is now planning for severe budget reductions in 2012/13 under the worst case scenarios of further cuts in state funding. While rumors about mass layoffs, salary reductions, and even a state takeover of the district are flying around, it is important for all of us to keep in mind that we are in the planning stages for next year, that no decisions have yet been made about program reductions or salary takeaways. Any salary or like concession would only occur through negotiations and after discussion and approval by the membership and the faculty. It is estimated that attrition, i.e. vacancies from retirements and resignations, etc. could reach 55 FTE going into 2012/13, which can be used  to reduce programs significantly and minimize faculty layoffs.  AFT will continue to engage the administration over these critical issues and report to faculty as plans unfold.

We must restore revenues to save public education

The only real solution to this budget mess is to get revenue back to the college. Our local has advocated for a parcel tax locally and has worked hard with our statewide California Federation of Teachers to get a “tax the rich” Millionaires Tax initiative on the November ballot. We are also working to get the Oil Extraction Tax to Fund Education in California (which could bring in as much as $30 million to the district) onto the ballot and passed. We need to take our parcel tax campaign to San Francisco voters and ask for their support in keeping CCSF programs intact and accessible. We call on our Board of Trustees to make garnering new revenues their highest priority, and we are counting on all our members and the full college community in these efforts.

Spring mobilizations against budget cuts in support of public education

We ask all CCSF staff and students to join others to demand full funding of public education and the end of  budget cuts. This movement has grown and will be out in full force this March: March 1 will see local mobilization demanding access to higher education, restoration of funding, and fair taxation of the wealthy. March 5 is our traditional “March in March” in Sacramento amplified by the Occupy movement and the heightened awareness of the need to fight social and economic inequality. The November elections are shaping up to be the most pivotal in recent history. We have an opportunity to join students and others not just in protesting these cuts, but in building a better budget through more local and state revenue.

Hear the District's analysis and overview at the Board of Trustees Planning and Budget meeting
This Wednesday, February 14, 6:00 pm on • Gough Street

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Help make sure the wealthiest Californians pay their share for education and critical social services... Get the Millionaires Tax on the ballot!

Join the campaign to restore the California Dream by coming to a Bay Area signature gathering training:

Wednesday, February 15th • 5–7pm
Oakland: 1970 Broadway #450, 94612
For more information contact Karla Zombro: kzombro@calicalls.org
Sponsored by the California Calls Action Fund

Thursday, February 16th • 6:30–8:30pm
San Francisco: 209 Golden Gate Ave (near Leavenworth), 94102
For more information contact Alisa Messer: amesser@aft2121.org/415-585-2121
Sponsored by the California Federation of Teachers & AFT 2121

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Mission Campus hosting February Welcome Table event

Saturday, February 25, 12:00-3:00 pm
Mission Campus courtyard and Room 108/109

Come join AFT 2121 and the Mission Campus community to enjoy BBQ, dancing, Motown classic videos, and much more in celebration of Black History Month!

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Quick reminders for events in previous blast

FOR THE LOVE OF EDUCATION... OCCUPY!
Join Occupy CCSF from Valentine's Day on Tuesday, February 14, 1:00 pm THROUGH Wednesday, February 15, 3:00 pm
Ocean Campus, Ram Plaza

EDUCATING FOR JUSTICE WORKSHOP
with United Association for Labor Education and CCSF's Labor and Community Studies
Thursday, February 16, 3:00-6:00 pm
CCSF Evans Campus, 1400 Evans Avenue
2nd Floor Conference Room

LEARNING FROM FINLAND'S SUCCESSES with Dr. Pasi Sahlberg
Friday, February 17th, 10:00 am-12:00 pm
Plumbers Hall (1621 Market @ 12th St.)

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