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Budget Update – |
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| Thanks to the voters of
California (and Arnold), the status of the future outlook of Cuesta’s
fiscal health has been upgraded from completely bleak to a major
challenge. Relief was in the air of many Cuesta offices on Wednesday,
March 3, after voters approved Propositions 57 and 58, and narrowly passed
Proposition 55.
Proposition 57 and 58 What if Proposition 57 and 58 had not passed? Cuesta could have faced budges cuts of up to 20-percent, which would have been devastating to faculty, staff and students. Proposition 57, which approved the $15 billion deficit-bond to reduce the amount of cuts necessary for a balanced budget, was approved by 63.3-percent of the voters. It’s companion, Proposition 58, prohibits the use of future deficit-bonds to balance the budget, and expands the Governor’s power to declare a fiscal emergency, requiring the legislature to stop other action and address that emergency. The two ballot measures were linked – both had to pass together. Proposition 55 More good news for Cuesta came in the form of the passing of Proposition 55, an initiative that will provide $12 million to fund major construction projects on-campus. Approximately $11 million of the funds for Cuesta College would be used to construct a 30,050 square-foot Learning Resource Center/Library at the North County Campus. The new facility would be the second permanent building on the campus, providing critical library, classroom/laboratory and staff support functions for instructional programs that are now housed in temporary, modular buildings. Proposition 55 also would provide $1.4 million in funding to equip the new facility. Another $560,000 for planning and working drawings would be funded for the reconstruction of science laboratories on the Cuesta College San Luis Obispo Campus. The project would eventually reconstruct the existing chemistry and biology laboratories and provide an additional 2,000 square-foot lab consisting of a greenhouse and a lath house. Proposition 55 also would provide $520,000 for the planning and working drawings of a 17,480 square-foot Trades and Technology Complex at the North County Campus. Your Input Cuesta’s budget plan is an evolving, institutional plan and your input is needed. Open planning and budget meetings will be scheduled throughout the semester before the Governor’s May Revise. For more information about the budget and the meetings, contact the office of Ed Maduli at ext. 3120 or the office of Marie E. Rosenwasser at ext. 3118. |
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