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From left to right, Roland Chapdelaine, LATTC President looks on as Sen. Gloria Romero greets the press at LATTC.  Behind her are Sen. Jack Scott, LACCD Faculty Union Representative Carl Friedlander and Student Trustee Eva Jackson.

Senator Jack Scott called for an end to the budget impasse.  Also pictured, from left are Consuelo Rey Castro, president of the Pasadena Community College Board of Trustees; Sen. Romero and Sylvia Scott Hayes, LACCD Board President.

 

Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero (D-East Los Angeles), Senate Education Committee Chair Jack Scott (D-Pasadena), along with key community college administrators, teachers and students, provided details on how the budget impasse is affecting services provided by community colleges at an August 3rd news conference at LATTC.  The group urged Senate Republicans to end their month-long stalemate and vote for a state budget as soon as possible.

“After serving as Chancellor of the California Community College System for the past four years in Sacramento, I returned this week to Los Angeles to re-assume my post as leader of the L.A. District,” Chancellor Mark Drummond said.

“I hope the politicians back in Sacramento focus on the future leaders of the state – our students.”

The California State Budget is six and a half weeks late. Community colleges, nursing homes, child care centers, hospitals and clinics, special education programs, and small business that provide services, have not been paid by the state.  According to the State Controller’s Office, community colleges in the greater Los Angeles area missed an estimated $103 million apportionment payment in July.  An estimated $1.1 billion in July bills were not paid to state agencies, programs and vendors.  That number may double in August.

“We urge the California legislators to pass the state budget as soon as possible,” Trustee Sylvia Scott Hayes said.  “Don’t take money away from educating our 180,000 students in the Los Angeles Community College District.”

“The LACCD is in a healthy financial condition right now, we met our July 31 payroll, but our District will have real problems and will have to dip into other funds to make payrolls beyond August 15th,” Scott Hayes added.

The LACCD’s  Advance Apportionment of $32.6 million, which was expecting at the end of July, has been held up due to the late budget.  This affects payroll along with student financial aid, CalWorks programs and basic skills courses. 

“Fall classes are set to begin on Tuesday, September 4th and we urge California legislators to help us get back to school,” added Drummond.

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