With little fanfare, the West Linn-Wilsonville School Board on Monday unanimously adopted a 2009-10 budget calling for a $4.5 million reduction in spending from a year ago.

The budget calls for $68.5 million in general fund spending and finalizes the elimination of 28 full-time teaching positions. Compared with some districts around Oregon, where mass layoffs and even school closures are taking place, local schools will be relatively sheltered from the current economic storm which has seen unemployment rise to more than 12 percent statewide.

Nonetheless, the equivalent of 28 full-time positions will be cut; notices have already been sent out to those affected. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of classified staff hours also will be cut, pay and benefits have been frozen across the entire district and some programs, including continued education for teachers, also will be eliminated or slashed.

Further reductions were alleviated by a $6 billion state education budget for the 2009-11 biennium, approved recently by the state legislature over objections from Gov. Ted Kulongoski.

Local school officials had been preparing for a state budget of as little as $5.7 billion and budgeted accordingly. Even with the possibility that extra money could become available, fiscal prudence ruled the day, board member Mary Furrow said.

"While it's more than what we based our budget on," Furrow said at the June 29 board meeting, noting that the state budget still requires final approval of an $800 million revenue package consisting of tax and fee increases. If it falls by the wayside, she said, the entire state schools budget could be jeopardized.

"I think our budget is still built on a really sound basis," Furrow said.

Legislators preserve $6 billion state education plan

Kulongoski nearly threw the proverbial wrench in the gears of the district's plans last week, when he vetoed a proposed $6 billion state education budget for the 2009-11 biennium. State representatives, however, voted to override the veto after much public posturing on both sides.

This averted any need to again tinker with a West Linn-Wilsonville budget already down more than $4.5 million from a year ago.

Kulongoski actually issued two separate vetoes, striking down a $200 million transfer from the general reserve as well as a bill calling for a $6 billion schools budget. Both came in the face of strong opposition from fellow Democrats looking to avoid further cuts in state schools spending.

"At this time of great economic uncertainty, I cannot support any bill that reduces our reserves to a level that puts the economic and financial stability of our state at risk," Kulongoski said in a veto message.

The governor added he is wary of continued financial difficulties in coming years.

"I do not want to be in a position of giving a false sense of certainty to our schools," he said, "only to be forced to take it away when the legislature reconvenes in 2010."

Similar uncertainties were voiced locally during the budgeting process this spring. Concern over future hikes in PERS contribution rates and continued economic problems at the state and national level could combine to deliver an unpleasant financial blow to the district as early as the 2011-12 school year.

"I think there was great work done putting together the budget this year," board member Jeff Hallin of Wilsonville said. "But I think the next biennium is going to be more difficult. This is a good first step."

"I think you're right," board chairman Dale Hoogestraat echoed. "I think it's a good budget. I think we used the right numbers, even though, maybe, there might be some additional money at some point."

The entire budget document is available for viewing online at www.wlwv.k12.or.us.