Cabrillo Unified Governing Board Member Suggests Voluntary Tuition

In the first of three special public hearings and study sessions, the Cabrillo Unified School District Governing Board met on Thursday night to present the current status of the district’s deficit and scout for ideas on how to address the problem.  

The meeting began the session with a cheerless presentation made by Superintendent Robert Gaskill concerning increasing budget cuts.

“This is going to be one bumpy ride for a while,” Gaskill said.

Gaskill briefly reviewed the history of the CUSD’s fiscal constraints of the past five years and the options of the district that is now in a $2 million debt with an ongoing $800,000 deficit.

Possible revenue-generating projects presented by Gaskill included leasing or selling surplus property, a new parcel tax or bond measures and a settlement in the .

Gaskill also proposed various cuts such as reducing or eliminating counseling positions, eliminating the librarian position, increasing K-3 class sizes and reducing funding to athletics.

President John Moseley said he would like to delay cuts for one year so the board could have time to assess possible savings.

“I think we can find efficiencies in the structure of our staffing,” Moseley said.  “We need a year to do it.”

Moseley suggested increasing K-3 classrooms and utilizing educational technology to engage students at different skill levels, which could lessen the demands of teachers.

Board members Freya McCamant and Kirk Riemer voiced favor toward a parcel tax or bond measure.

“It helps strengthen that sense of community and it’s an achievable goal,” Riemer said. “We have a revenue stream regardless if the state ever gets its act together.”

Coastside residents, Riemer said, would feel comfort and pride in knowing that the money of the community was going directly back into the community. 

Board member Rob Pappalardo said although his ideas for implementing voluntary tuition may be controversial, the lack of federal and state support has led to desperate times.

“We have to finally realize that the public education model, as it stands, is unsustainable,” Pappalardo said.

Though Pappalardo said the wide range of socioeconomic statuses in the district might pose a problem to the implementation of voluntary tuition, CUSD should not wait for the state to redeem itself.

“We need to make sacrifices to invest in ourselves,” he said.

The governing board then asked for any advice or recommendations from the public, a goal of the special study sessions.

“Your job is to listen to see if people have input to give you,” Gaskill said to the governing board.

CUSD parent Doug Pomeroy advised the board to not overlook the possible time and costs that would be lost from eliminating clerical and counseling positions.

“You’re cut very close to bone,” he said. “You have to maintain some minimal level of that.”

Turnout from the public was very low, with only two parents making public comment at the session.

The CUSD Governing Board will continue with on December 8 at Farallone View Elementary School and one tenatively scheduled for January 12 at the Half Moon Bay High School Multi-Use Room. Both will take place at 6 p.m.

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