Press Release
01/29/10 – Mayor Gavin Newsom and Supervisor Bevan Dufty today announced that some program cuts to public schools will be prevented by providing up to $6 million from the city’s rainy day fund. The Mayor made the announcement in his remarks at the “Bridging the Bay” Afterschool Conference at Balboa High School.
The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) recently announced that cuts to programs, layoffs, furloughs, increased class size, less transportation and minimal summer school are all on the table to close the district’s two year budget deficit of $113 million.
“By releasing these rainy day funds, we are hoping to ease some of the pain and help prevent even deeper cuts to education and layoffs,” said Mayor Newsom. “We are lucky in San Francisco to have saved our extra revenue for when times get tough. Those tough times are here and we need to do whatever we can to minimize the impact on our students.”
“During these difficult times, it is essential that our City assist the School District with all possible means and I look forward to getting the support of my colleagues on this crucial piece of legislation,” said Supervisor Dufty. “Our students must remain our #1 priority.”
The rainy day fund was created in 2003, when voters passed Proposition G. It requires the city to save revenue above 5% growth year over year, during good economic times.
The account’s balance now stands at about $24 million, and can change again if the city withdraws additional funding this year. The school district is eligible for up to 25 percent of the total if two conditions are met: The school district must be getting less money per pupil from the state when adjusted for inflation, and must be facing significant teacher layoffs. Based on the Governor’s budget, both of these criteria will be met.