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PUSD Board Schedules Special Session to Study Measure TT Priority List
News Nov 20, 2017
Superintendent Brian McDonald seemed to be just as frustrated as the parents with the recent decision to re-arrange the MTT priority list, “I simply can’t keep up … one minute I think I understand what the priority list says … and, a week later, things change.”
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Superintendent Brian McDonald seemed to be just as frustrated as the parents with the recent decision to re-arrange the MTT priority list, “I simply can’t keep up … one minute I think I understand what the priority list says … and, a week later, things change.”
– Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News
School district set to comply with CVPRA; much-needed budget cuts approved
By Gus Herrera
At their latest meeting, the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) Board of Education was faced with a substantial budget deficit and a room full of concerned parents.
The evening began with public outcry regarding the recent re-arrangement of the district’s Measure TT (MTT) priority project list.
The PUSD currently has a balance of approximately $104.6 million in MTT funds for appropriation, but the list of projects has been in constant flux, to the frustration of parents and policymakers alike.
Following a recent special facilities committee meeting, modernization projects for Don Benito, Roosevelt, and Longfellow schools were moved down the district’s priority list, seemingly without consulting the public.
As a result, a coalition of parents, faculty, and staff from Don Benito flooded the public comment portion of the meeting, pleading with the board for better communication, transparency, and re-consideration of the priority list’s order.
A Don Benito speaker revealed that the kindergarten playground is in “bad, bad condition,” and has even injured some students.
Another speaker, representing Pasadena High School, said that the air conditioning unit for the gym has been out of order for some time and the school has been using large fans to try and cope with the heat. A dilapidated outdoor track has also forced the school to spend extra funds transporting athletes to alternative practice facilities.
Many of the board members echoed the public’s frustration with the changes to the priority list, “moving schools out of the list is not something I’m comfortable with,” said Board Member Scott Phelps.
President of the Board Roy Boulghourjian argued in favor of additional transparency regarding the MTT priority list, “we promised [parents] we’d be more communicative and give [them] more information.” – Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News
Superintendent Brian McDonald concurred, “I simply can’t keep up … one minute I think I understand what the priority list says … and, a week later, things change.”
Thus, with the holiday season looming ahead, it was clear that the elected representatives felt a strong need to take action – the board decided to schedule a last-minute study session for Dec. 7 to review the MTT priority list.
The board meeting also included a special presentation from City Clerk Mark Jomsky regarding the California Voter Participation Rights Act (CVPRA), which is intended to increase voter participation throughout the state by eliminating off-year elections and forcing all local elections to be consolidated with state elections on even years.
Proponents of the bill argue that consolidated elections will allow tax dollars to be spent more efficiently and that higher voter turnout will ensure constituents are more well-represented via local government.
On Oct. 16, the Pasadena City Council decided to comply with the CVPRA, via an informal straw poll, and city staff is now working with the League of Pasadena Womens Voters to conduct public outreach.
It is now up to the electorate to decide whether the city should consolidate its election cycle with the statewide primary/general format, which is held in March and November, or utilize plurality voting (i.e. successful candidates must receive the highest number of votes – no majority required).
Similar to their city council counterparts, the school board agreed that the district should comply with the CVPRA, but they too struggled to achieve a consensus on the specifics.
Phelps described plurality voting as a “con,” where someone can potentially achieve victory with a seemingly miniscule percentage of the votes.
On the other side of the coin, Cahalan reminded the board that if the district moves its elections to dates with higher turnout rates, then a winner in a plurality system could theoretically receive more votes than a non-plurality winner whose election was held on a date with lower voter turnout.
In the event that the PUSD rejects plurality voting, Cahalan also cautioned against extending the time between the primary and general elections, arguing that a longer election cycle will require “substantial campaign contributions to run for office.”
Both the city and the school district have until June 2018 to work out the kinks on CVPRA compliance.
In other news, the school board approved $32,138 worth of budget reductions. Cuts included reductions to the board’s benefits, supplies/materials, food, legal support, travel expenses, and more.
Board Member Scott Phelps also revealed that the board’s goal of holding paperless meetings has not yet been accomplished, but is in the works.
The PUSD also approved a new charter school – Odyssey Charter School South. In a surprising turn of events, the school board voted 4-3 against staff’s recommendation to deny Odyssey’s petition.
The PUSD Board of Education will meet again in December.
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