Guest Commentary: Budgeting and politics
Some random notions about budgeting and politics....
How are school district budgetary decisions made? How are decisions made in light of limited resources and diverse values? Who gets what and why? Other than to “gripe” about decisions board members make, what can you do about it, short of Jefferson’s admonition to revolt?
The school district board, in theory, is nonpartisan. Nonpartisan does not mean nonpolitical. Board members are in fact politicians and, for that matter, partisans. Within the constraints of the Constitution, State Constitution, the Education Code and a myriad of other statutes, the school board, as politicians, support or create policies that govern the school district.
The school district budget is singularly the most significant policy statement made by the board. Employee contracts account for 80 percent of the district’s revenue. Employee contracts are determined through the collective bargaining process. The school board votes to determine the outcome of the collective bargaining process. This vote is in fact a political decisions.
It is through the political process that resources are allocated. Politics basically determine whose values shall prevail. Values basically cannot be empirically tested. Politicians, including school board members, are often maligned; however, it is through the political process in our democratic-republic that scarce resources are allocated. Seemingly, no attempt is made to describe what procedures are used to calculate the relative values of competing programs. Which program has more merit? Should there be new uniforms for the basketball team or clay for the ceramics class?
Resources being limited, this decision is basically a political decision. Much of what is meant by the term merit turns out to be meets my preferences or serves my interest or the interests of those with whom I identify. How does one determine which program has more merit? How does one empirically judge the value of a program compared to alternatives?
The budgeting process is incremental in nature. Last year’s budget expenditures are considered as the base for the next year’s budget, in fact, facilitates budget preparation in that next year’s expenditures are expected to be close to current year expenditures. Budget review examines only those items for which increases over the previous year are requested. The incremental budgeting process, in no serious way, explores alternatives and does not lend itself to the periodic examination of the accomplishment of objectives.
What can you do about it? Vote for the board member that best represents your values. Write editorials, attend board meetings and let your concerns be known. In this regard, let’s zero in on the budget again. A board member at the next board meeting may request that the budget be placed on the next agenda and make a motion to amend it. It is ironic that at the public hearing on next year’s budget, a couple of reporters, the board and a handful of employees were the only ones present. Were your values represented in the budget? The budget is the educational program expressed in dollars.
Politics is not about finding the best solution, it is finding the solution that the least number of people complain about. Those who see needed change find themselves in a quandary. Change is inhibited by our political structure and most parents believe the school their children attend has fewer problems than the system as a whole, so there is no urgency for change. There is no critical mass for change.
To argue that the present budget procedures are inadequate compared to another system that is unattainable may be no different than arguing that the present system is the best. The budget is a political document in that it authoritatively allocates values.
Just as an aside, California school districts do not go bankrupt. The state merely replaces the board and manages the school district. The state obligates the district by advancing funds for operations as determined by the state.
John Rajcic, a Ramona school board member, stresses that this commentary is his as an individual and that he is not representing the board.