The Glendale Community College District Board of Trustees unanimously
approved a $70.3 million budget for the 2005-06 fiscal year at its
meeting Monday night, slightly more than last year's $68.4 million
budget.
The increase in the budget was due to a cost-of-living adjustment
for college employees mandated by Sacramento and an additional
$637,000 in money from a state equalization fund, college Vice
President of Administrative Services Larry Serot said.
"Amazingly, each district gets funded at a different rate based on
property taxes," Serot said. "Glendale gets $3,400 per full-time
equivalent student, those taking 15 units or more, while Los Angeles
[Community College District] gets $3,900 per student. The
equalization fund corrects this inequity."
The entire budget, including capital improvement, financial aid
and insurance funds, was $142.1 million, Serot said.
During public comment, Glendale resident Linda Sheffield
complained that the budget did not include provisions for covering
election costs.
"I don't think anybody should be approached like I was when I ran
for the board and told I couldn't run because it costs the college
money," Sheffield said. "Elections are sacred, and they should be
planned and budgeted for."
But the budget is by no means a final document, Serot said. He
explained that budget hearings would continue into September, and
that it is difficult to nail down all the numbers when members of the
budget committee meet on a limited basis during the summer, when much
of the funding from Sacramento is being determined.
"The budget committee meets on average three hours a month, and it
is important that it meet in August," he said.
