Schools:Budget impasse no worry

Newport-Mesa Unified School District students and educators need not fear California’s budget impasse, school officials say.

“We have no reason to anticipate any problems,” said Jeff Trader, the district’s fiscal administrative chief. “We’re used to not receiving money until after the fall.”

Newport-Mesa is one of California’s “basic-aid” districts, meaning the community’s property tax revenue is high enough that the district doesn’t need extra state aid.

The district should be fiscally sound without state aid through December, Trader said.

Of the more than 1,000 school districts in the state, only 60 to 80 qualify for basic aid, according to the California Department of Education.

While most California schools receive state funding for general purposes, a fraction of the money is allocated for categorical uses, such as class-reduction programs and for special education.

Only if state legislators tamper with education funding, particularly in categorical uses will Newport-Mesa feel it.

“We’re directly tied to them so whenever they change the budget it does impact us,” Trader said.

Among its state money, Newport-Mesa receives about $2 million in school improvement funding and $3.5 million for economic impact aid, Trader said.

However, he said, there has been no indication that any of that is in jeopardy.

UC Irvine spokesman Tom Vasich was equally confident.

“Everything is business as usual,” he said.

Should the impasse last through September, he said, “then the entire UC system will have to reassess the situation with the state.”

The budget stalemate’s effect on Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian also looks to be “insignificant,” spokeswoman Anganette DeGarceau said, adding the hospital does not receive a substantial amount of patients dependent upon the state, nor does it have any state-funded programs.

That does not mean parts of Orange County won’t suffer, Assemblyman Chuck DeVore said.

“Clearly, there’s going to be a ripple effect,” especially for those needing state medical assistance, he said.

“We need an honest budget that does not pass the needs of today onto the next generation. They will have their own challenges to face and fund,” Assemblyman Van Tran said. “The legislature’s leaders should immediately resume discussions so we can work out an honest, balanced and dependable plan for our future.”

Legislators are not due in Sacramento until Monday, Aug. 20, unless Democratic Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata calls them back early.