Administrators, teachers, students and parents breathed a collective sigh of relief on May 3 when Measure A, the parcel tax in the Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District , passed with a 72.59 percent support, according to the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters.

The major cause of the district’s budget problem is the state cutting back on its education spending as it grapples with its budget problems. In the 2007-08 school year, state funding for the district was nearly $2.8 million while the projected state funding for the 2012-13 school year is a mere $376,873.

After years of unbalanced budgets coupled with an economic recession, the State of California finds itself with a staggering $27 billion deficit. Naturally, this has led to a significant decrease of funding for schools. These budget cuts have brought major changes into the Los Gatos-Saratoga school district.

The cost of running the Los Gatos Saratoga High School district next year is expected to be $36 million, according to recent estimates. The problem is that the district can expect revenues of $34.8 million.

It’s time to face the harsh reality. The Los Gatos Saratoga Union High School District is projecting a deficit of nearly $942,000 for the 2011-2012 school year and more deficits in the years beyond. Though a parcel tax that voters are likely to see on a special ballot this spring may raise significant funding toward bridging this gap, the school has already dipped into financial reserves, and the district will most likely have to make cuts in the years ahead no matter what.

As the budget deficit for next school year nears a staggering $3.06 million, the Los-Gatos Saratoga Union High School District (LGSUHSD) has started taking steps to deal with the growing crisis.

Saratoga and Los Gatos High Schools will be facing at least a $1.6 million deficit during the 2010-2011 academic school year and are looking for ways to solve the problem during the next few months. Potential changes include larger class sizes, staff layoffs, pay cuts and furloughs, fewer instructional supplies, an on-line summer school option and a schedule alignment between the two schools.

After a Dec. 8 school board meeting, district officials have concluded that the earlier projection of a $1.6 million budget deficit for next year has increased to $2.75 million because of a re-adjusted estimate of local property values.

"Where we are now is [figuring out] what are we going to do––that's what we're negotiating now," principal Jeff Anderson said. "We are working with the board to figure out where should we save money and where that money is going to come from."

As many schools across the state prepare to let teachers go and cut programs next year, SHS students will have much the same school experience as they had this year. Though bracing for additional cuts this summer, the Los Gatos Saratoga Union High School District (LGSUHSD) put together a balanced budget for next year that eliminates no staff and keeps classes roughly the same size as this year.

The fate of the California budget will rest in the hands of voters as Propositions 1A-F are on the ballot for a state-wide special election on May 19. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, along with the State Legislature, authorized these elections as part of a budget signed into law on Feb. 19.
Failure to pass any one of the first five propositions will have a direct effect on the state budget and result in a budget hole that the governor and legislators will need to fix, while failure to pass the sixth proposition will not directly impact the state budget, said district superintendent Cary Matsuoka.