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By Olin Ericksen
Staff Writer
June 12 -- From a much-talked about half million
dollar increase for Santa Monica and Malibu schools to adopting
a $437 million City budget, City Council members are expected
to weigh in on a number of key issues at what should be a
packed meeting Tuesday.
After three City Council members blocked nearly a half million
dollars in additional School District funding last month,
the council is expected to reconsider its vote on whether
to release $530,000 to supplement the $6.5 million the City
will give to the schools in the upcoming fiscal year.
Council members Bobby Shriver, Herb Katz and Bob Holbrook
voted against an increase after expressing concerns about
the use confidentiality agreements with parents of special
education children and Winston Braham, the district’s
former Chief Financial Officer.
Braham's departure last fall came shortly after a disagreement
on salary increases for teachers. His $189,000 settlement
agreement included a confidentiality clause barring him from
speaking publicly about District finances unless requested
to do so by District officials.
The episode became a source of tension between the District
and the City when Holbrook, Katz and Shriver began calling
on the District in February to allow Braham to speak, even
as the District prepared an independent audit of its finances.
The audit found the District is facing a long-term deficit
of nearly $11 million dollars, which school officials said
is the result of declining enrollment that decreases federal
and state funding.
While the District amended the confidentiality agreement,
a separate clause -- called a non-disparagement clause --
remained in place. Braham is expected to talk to the council
Tuesday.
The issue broadened last month when parents of children in
Special Education told the council that confidentiality clauses
were used in their own settlement agreements with the district.
State and District officials who oversee and administer the
use of such agreements disagreed on how common such clauses
are in California schools. State officials said they were
rare, while school officials said they are a common practice.
School officials are also expected to speak tomorrow about
the clauses and possible changes the District may make in
its policy.
If approved, the City's financial contribution to the District
will total $7.2 million in the upcoming fiscal year as part
of an agreement that allows the public to use district facilities
and open spaces after school hours.
After tackling school funding, City council members are expected
to approve a $437 million budget for the 2007-08 fiscal year.
The budget comes amidst looming forecasts that show a cooling
housing market and the possible loss of a telephone tax that
now contributes as much as $12 million a year to City coffers.
Council members have received a report of more than 50 pages
from the finance department answering a long list of questions
brought up in the budget study sessions last month.
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