By Lantz Simpson

The Faculty Association and the Academic Senate have joined together to urge all faculty to write to their state legislators and urge a restoration of the money vetoed out of the community college budget by Governor Gray Davis.  Davis signed the state budget for 2001-02 on July 26, but in a surprise blow vetoed $49 million for instructional equipment and $49 million for scheduled maintenance from the community college budget.

The total augmentation (new money) to the CC's is $282.5 million, which includes a COLA of 3.87% ($150.5 million), enrollment growth ($113.6 million), energy deficiencies ($46 million), part-time faculty compensation ($57 million), and $4.67 million more for part-time faculty office hours.  It was not a surprise when Davis also vetoed a $7.6 million COLA for the Partnership for Excellence program along with other vetoes that totaled about $35 million.  Response to Davis's vetoes included several outraged editorials from major newspapers around the state, including the conservative San Diego Union, and several articles in the Los Angeles Times, as well as an effort by the community college constituencies to rally together to restore the cuts.

Gov. Davis could face a veto override if he does not restore some of the community college funding, according to Senate Pro Tem John Burton. It would take two-thirds majorities in each house to override the cuts. Assemblyman Robert Pacheco, R-Walnut, says he'll introduce new legislation to restore $98 million.
The Governor and his staff have seen public opinion polls showing that the voting public loves community colleges and 86% think the governor and legislature should restore all $126 million of the vetoes.