FEA One-Time Money Ballot, November 2011

RESULTS ARE UNOFFICIAL UNTIL CERTIFIED BY REP COUNCIL on DECEMBER 6th, 2011

 

Results: (click here for detailed results in PDF format)

1. If any of the 2010-11 one-time money is paid out to the FEA membership, it should be paid as:

   Block: 58%

   Percentage: 42%

 

2. Should any of the one-time money be used to offset FEA's expected end of year deficits, instead of being paid out now directly to members?

   Yes: 59%

   No: 41%

 

3. If any of the money is used to offset deficits, what portion should be used?

   Use 50% of money: 58%

   Use 100% of money: 42%

 

Previous: Explanation of Ballot Issues

 

A pool of $1,032,766 is now available to FEA as a one-time amount, from the 2010-11 school year. A decision must be made now as to whether and how to distribute that money among our members.

 

As explained in the site lunch meetings this Fall, it is expected that paying our salaries and health care this year will produce a significant deficit for our FEA bargaining unit by the end of the school year in June.  Although we had previously estimated that the deficit in June 2012 would be about $1.8 million, it now appears that health care costs will rise more than forecast, and that the total deficit could be nearly $2.1 million.  (This assumes that property taxes will rise about 2% and that there will be no mid-year cuts from the state of California; the situation could be worse if either of those turns out otherwise.)  Our best current estimates for 2012-13 anticipate more than $5 million in deficit by the end of that year.

 

FEA leadership currently expects that we may receive as much as $1.5 million in one-time EdJobs money from the District to apply to the deficit, which will be a big help.  But this still leaves a substantial portion of the deficit to cover.  In response to recent survey results, in which many members indicated an interest in using one-time money to offset deficits, Rep Council has called for a membership vote.

 

The ballot asks for three decisions.  First, whether any paid-out funds should be computed using a flat-block basis or as a percentage of salary cell amounts.  This decision is necessary, even if FEA chooses to use the money for offsetting deficits, so that we know how much to pay out to members who have left the District since last school year.  A chart has been provided below so that you can tell what those amounts mean for your personal situation; the chart numbers are based on the assumption that all of the money will be paid out, but that also remains to be decided.

 

The second question asks whether any of the money should be applied toward the anticipated deficits.  This is a yes or no decision.

 

In the event that the majority wishes to use money to offset deficits, we must know how much of it to use.  The third question provides a choice of all or half of the money.  If the majority chooses half, the remainder will be paid out, at one half the amounts shown on the chart.

 

Important notes:

a) only unit members in paid status on April 1, 2011 are eligible to receive these funds

 

b) approximately 30 unit members who have since terminated employment have been accounted for and will receive their share

 

c) STRS contributions, workers compensation, and other burdens have already been deducted, but the amounts below will be subject to taxation at your personal rate.

 

d) For the percentage option, look to the cell where you were placed last year, as of April 1, 2011, NOT your current placement, which may have advanced in step and/or column since then.

 

e) if you were in part-time status on April 1, you will be paid a proportional share, based on your status as 0.6 FTE, 0.8 FTE, etc.

 

f) the numbers here corresponding to paying out the entire amount; if 50% is applied to deficits, the numbers should be cut in half.

 

Distribution options:

1) BLOCK option:  Distribution as a uniform block amount for each eligible full-time member: $ 1839.60 per member

 

2) PERCENTAGE option: Distributed according to the salary schedule cells, at a uniform rate of  2.48%, as shown below: