Structural Deficit

The Glendale Unified School District Board of Education formally terminated teacher contracts late Tuesday in a decision meant to spur a renewed sense of urgency between union leaders and administrators as the district?s financial challenges grow. Teachers will continue to work under the terms of their old contracts, but their employment status would be thrown into question if they fail to reach a new agreement with the district before the end of the academic year, Supt. Michael Escalante said.

La Cañada?s representative in the state Senate told the Valley Sun this week that he doesn?t know where a solution is going to come from for the California Legislature?s budget deadlock imposed by the Republican caucus. The lawmakers will be returning to session on Monday with no solution in sight. Fourteen of the 15 Senate Republicans remain firm in refusing to vote for the budget approved by the Assembly, leaving the spending program one vote short of passage. ?It?s a moving target,?

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger?s proposals to balance next year?s state budget by using what Sen. Jack Scott termed ?draconian? cuts guarantees a stormy legislative session this spring. Scott (D-Pasadena) who represents La Cañada Flintridge and may be in the final year of his service in Sacramento, said the governor?s proposed ten percent across the board cut is not a workable solution. ?When you are trying to fix the engine, you can?t do so with only half the tools in your toolbox at your disposal,?

The Glendale Unified School District Board of Education formally terminated teacher contracts late Tuesday in a decision meant to spur a renewed sense of urgency between union leaders and administrators as the district?s financial challenges grow. Teachers will continue to work under the terms of their old contracts, but their employment status would be thrown into question if they fail to reach a new agreement with the district before the end of the academic year, Supt. Michael Escalante said.