RESOLUTION NO. _____________

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA

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RESOLUTION TO OPPOSE GOVERNOR’S PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS

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RESOLVED, by the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Mateo, State of California, that

WHEREAS, Education Week magazine now ranks California 46^th in the nation in per-pupil spending, at nearly $1,900 below the national per-student average, at the same time California has some of the largest class sizes in the country and ranks last per student in the number of counselors, school nurses and librarians; and

WHEREAS, the state budget proposed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger would reduce funding for education by $4.8 billion over the next 18 months, would cut special education funding in San Mateo County schools by approximately $2.5 million, would reduce by an estimated $7.2 million the support for State-funded categorical programs and would cut funding of approximately $48 million dollars provided to individual school districts in San Mateo County; and

WHEREAS, the Governor’s proposed state budget cuts to education would be a step backward for our students that would damage our public schools, slow our economic progress and threaten the education of millions of California students and which if enacted would impede San Mateo County’s continued economic vitality, progress and leadership, which is dependent upon the skills and abilities of our workforce, thereby harming our ability to produce the competitive and vibrant talent necessary to meet the needs of 21st century business and industry; and

WHEREAS, the Governor’s proposed state budget would, according to staff estimates, cut approximately $6.5 million from essential county services including $2.6 million in funding for health care, $3.1 million for human services and $833,000 in cuts to public safety funding in San Mateo County, and furthermore the proposed state budget does not include cost of doing business increases, the loss of which equates to an estimated $8 million in additional funding reductions for human services programs administered by San Mateo County, causing difficulty for many of the most vulnerable in our society; and

WHEREAS, the Governor’s proposed state budget would suspend state gas tax payments to San Mateo County for five months resulting in an estimated loss of $5 million upon which current activities are based,

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, that the Board of Supervisors of San Mateo County, hereby calls upon the Governor and the Legislature to reject across-the-board cuts that would damage our public schools and those institutions that serve the neediest in our society and we call upon the Governor and Legislature to set realistic state budget priorities and adopt an approach that balances spending cuts and revenue increases in order to close the $16 billion budget deficit, closes tax loopholes and sets a 6 percent severance tax on oil extracted in California and a 2 percent windfall profits tax on oil companies.

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