Sac City Unified Issues Statement in Response to Governor Newsom’s Announcement of Budget Cuts

Press release

SACRAMENTO - Sacramento City Unified Superintendent Jorge Aguilar issued the following statement today regarding Governor Newsom’s announcement of budget cuts, including cuts to education:

“Today’s announcement by Governor Newsom is grim, to say the least,” said Sac City Unified Superintendent Jorge Aguilar. “Our district was already facing a significant budget crisis, even before the news we are hearing today. Our schools remain underfunded, but our commitment to our students remain unchanged. As we move through this health crisis, our schools have stepped up to fill in the gaps for children in a way that can only be described as extraordinary - quickly designing and adjusting to distance education, providing nutrition support, securing devices and internet, and more. Despite these efforts, they’re not enough, and we will need to do more to meet our students’ needs. Our children need us more now more than ever, but we anticipate some very difficult decisions over the next few months with effects that will expand beyond this crisis. We can’t do this alone. We ask our community and our labor partners to stand with us to address these budget challenges.”

Before the impending recession, Sac City Unified already faced a $27 million budget deficit. Sac City Unified will provide a budget update at its Board of Education Meeting tonight, May 7, with scenarios to assess the impact of revenue shortfalls based on guidance from the Fiscal Crisis and Management Team (FCMAT).