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Schools face more layoffs with failure of Measure 13 By JOHN DARLING for the Mail Tribune With the failure of Measure 13 statewide, Rogue Valley schools face the prospect of a new round of layoffs and budget cuts totaling $10 million - $3 million more than the $7 million already cut from next year's budgets. One superintendent, Charles Hellman of Rogue River, called it "a great tragedy." Measure 13, referred to voters by the Republican-led Legislature, would have siphoned $220 million from the state Education Endowment Fund to rescue schools from recession-caused revenue shortfalls. With most votes counted, it trailed 48 to 52 percent, meaning that $220 million must be cut from school budgets statewide before they start the fiscal year July 1 - or about $360 per student. "Any further major reductions mean layoffs," said Medford Schools Superintendent Steve Wisely, whose district just cut $2.4 million but avoided layoffs by not replacing teachers who retire or relocate. "Our school system can take no more." The Medford district will have to study the latest revenue reports from the state before deciding on cuts, said school board member Peggy Penland, "but it's going to be hard not to make program cuts." The failure of Measure 13 means the $2.4 million in cuts so far this year will be almost doubled, she said. "I'm scared," Penland said, "because now we have to count on the state to fix this and the state hasn't shown the political will to make decisions that lead to long-term stable school funding our kids deserve." Ashland's school budget committee will meet tonight to begin cutting $1.2 million - this after just completing $2 million in cuts because of earlier state shortfalls, said school board member Amy Amrhein. It's not yet known how the further cuts will be made, she said. "We have to balance the budget by June 1 and we have to assume the state won't come up with any money to help us," she said. "I'm apprehensive about what this implies for our schools here. The state has to create a long-term, stable school-funding mechanism that's revenue-neutral and doesn't go up and down with the economy." Central Point Schools Superintendent Candace Manary said the district will review every program and make "major reductions," about $1.7 million. This follows earlier cuts of $800,000. Rogue River schools face a cut of $470,000, said Superintendent Hellman. "It's a great tragedy, and we'll be looking to reduce staff and all budgetary items. It's disturbing. We've got to have a long-term solution for adequate, stable school funding from the state." Eagle Point Schools Superintendent Bill Jones said the election leaves his district facing cuts of more than $1 million. All options will be on the table, he said, including asking the union to renegotiate salaries and benefits so as "to save as many jobs as possible." Wisely said schools are "caught in the middle of a dogfight" between the Legislature and Gov. John Kitzhaber, an opponent of Measure 13. "It's time for them to get together and forget their political differences and do something about what was already a slide in education." Measure 13 was referred to voters by lawmakers at a special session in March as part of an overall plan to eliminate an $846 million state budget shortfall caused by dropping tax revenue. Defeat of the measure carved a hole in the budget and gave legislators a bigger problem to cope with at a planned special session next month. The news turned grimmer last week when legislators disclosed that new revenue data indicate the Legislature will face a shortfall topping $400 million, even if Measure 13 was approved. John Darling is a free-lance writer living in Ashland. E-mail him at [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2002 Mail Tribune, Inc.