Negotiators Offer Optimism But No Details

By Juliet McShannon

April 29 -- A grassroots group on Wednesday failed to receive assurances that negotiations between City and School District officials will avert a controversial school funding measure slated for the November ballot.

Representatives of the Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS) grilled negotiators, as well as members of an ad hoc committee comprised of City Council and School Board representatives, but only received vague optimistic assurances that negotiations are moving forward.

“I have a revived sense of optimism,” said Mayor Richard Bloom.

“We’ve made significant progress,” said Julia Brownley, a member of the school board.

The optimistic prognosis seemed to frustrate members of CEPS, who are poised to submit qualifying petitions on Wednesday for a charter amendment that would require the City to give the cash-strapped district $6 million annually and 1 percent of most of the general fund if it grows by at least 3.5 percent.

“I hate to interrupt the lovefest,” said Louise Jaffe, a co-chair of CEPS, “but we are still collecting signatures and our calendar is pressing us.

“CEPS has only a few more days until May 5th to collect signatures, and we have about twenty people sitting around who want to hear the details.”

City Manager Susan McCarthy, who is negotiating on behalf of the city, acknowledged the need for a deadline, but offered no tangible date.

“I understand the importance of having a deadline,” she said, “but we are still in negotiations.”

Brownley also unsuccessfully pressed McCarthy for further details of her negotiations with Superintendent John Deasy.

“We don’t want CEPS to exercise their right to get signatures to put this on the ballot,” Brownley said. “How and when can we realistically state something so each body can make decisions and convey those to the community?”

School Board President Jose Escarce echoed Brownley’s concern over the lack of details.

“We have a conceptual framework which is pretty straightforward, but the details need clarification,” he said.

Dr. Michael Gruning, a member of CEPS and former president of the Chamber of Commerce, questioned the negotiation’s focus on a “trigger.” That’s the percentage the general fund would have to grow by before the City kicks in more than the $6 million a year CEPS calls for and the City has offered.

“What CEPS members are really seeking is predictable, stable, long-term funding,” Gruning said. “The notion of a ‘trigger,’ which would affect base funding and hasn’t been defined as yet, lacks predictability.”

McCarthy apologized for not being able to give more clarification.

“The question of how to come up with a trigger is a difficult one,” the city manger said. “It is our fault that we haven’t found the trigger number. We’re still in negotiations.”

According to sources familiar with the negotiations, the district has offered to raise the “trigger” to 5.5 percent and lower the amount schools would receive from 1 percent to ¾ of a percent.

The City has offered a simple cost of living increase not tied to the growth of its general fund budget.

Mayor Bloom appealed to those present to understand the reasons for a lack of disclosure.

“A lot of what gets negotiated is done in private,” Bloom said. “We have to put trust in the leaders that we have chosen for that, Susan McCarthy and John Deasy.”

“If there was a sense of expectation that we could all walk out that door having shaken on an agreement tonight, then no, that’s not going to happen,” Bloom said.

Deasy told the liaison committee that the matter would be discussed further by the School Board at its meeting May 6, one day after CEPS’ self-imposed deadline to hand in the petitions with the 8,200 signatures necessary to qualify the measure for the November ballot .

Deasy agreed with Board member Brownley’s suggestion that some City Council members be invited to attend that meeting.

The City Council also plans to continue the discussion at its next meeting scheduled for May 11.