Oxnard teacher named National Bilingual Teacher of the Year

Sonia Aguila, an Oxnard resident and second-grade teacher at Canalino Elementary School in Carpinteria, has been named the 2023 National Bilingual Teacher of the Year at the National Association for Bilingual Educators' annual conference. 

Aguila, who was also named the 2022 California Bilingual Teacher of the Year, believes that being bilingual is a superpower. 

She struggled initially to adapt to life in the US after moving to Mexico with her family at the age of 5, but her native Spanish now helps her to connect well with her students in a dual-language immersion class. 

Aguila is also an education columnist and children's radio show host. Source: Ventura County Star

City of Ventura lowers pension debt with $10.5 million payment

The City of Ventura has allocated $10.5 million from its general fund for a one-time payment to lower its pension debt. 

This payment will save $2.2 million in fiscal year 2024 and will be used to fund City Council initiatives and priorities. The unfunded liability for Ventura's 1,722 employees and retirees, managed by the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, is $190.2 million. 

Ventura's two plans with CalPERS, the safety plan, and the miscellaneous plan, have unfunded liabilities of $137.4 million and $52.8 million, respectively. 

The one-time payment was approved by the City Council in October 2022, and David Grau, president of the Ventura County Taxpayers Association, approves of the decision.

Santa Barbara City Council starts budget talks

The Santa Barbara City Council will convene a special meeting today for a budget work session to discuss the fiscal years 2024 and 2025. 

The council will receive a presentation from staff and provide guidance on how to proceed. The meeting is part of the Fiscal Sustainability Initiative, which aims to address major fiscal and budgetary challenges and ensure the city meets the needs of its community. 

City Administrator Rebecca Bjork will present her recommended budget for the next two fiscal years in late April. 

The budget work session is intended to provide an overview of the city's finances, recent initiatives, revenue trends, projected costs, and a long-term forecast.

Governor's budget proposal cuts funds protecting coast

California Governor Gavin Newsom's proposed climate budget would cut $561 million from local coastal resilience projects, a reduction of 43% compared to 2021 and 2022, potentially leaving vulnerable beaches, homes, and infrastructure unprotected against rising sea levels and climate change. 

The cuts form part of Newsom's proposed $6 billion reduction in the state's climate change programs due to a projected $22.5 billion statewide deficit. However, critics, including lawmakers and environmentalists, argue that the proposed cuts could have far-reaching implications and jeopardize efforts to address climate change. 

California revenue lower than expected

California's revenues are lower than expected, with February's personal and corporate income taxes falling $1.2 billion below the administration's January budget projection. 

This is due to factors such as large corporate tax refunds costing $796 million more than projected and layoffs in the tech and finance sectors. Policymakers may need to consider dipping into reserves or raising revenues, including trimming corporate tax breaks, to balance the budget. 

However, working with uncertain numbers due to tax filing deadline extensions could complicate the budgeting process. Scott Graves, director of research at the California Budget Center, warns of potential corrections down the road. Source CalMatters

Solvang rejects pride banners

The Solvang City Council voted 3-2 to reject an application to install Pride banners marking Pride Month in June and temporary rainbow-themed crosswalks. Mayor Mark Infanti and Councilmen David Brown and Robert Clarke voted to deny the request, citing concerns that it would favor one business and may not promote acceptance. 

Councilwomen Elizabeth Orona and Claudia Orona voted against the denial. The proposed banners and crosswalks were submitted by local business owner Kiel Cavalli, who owns a toy and bookstore with his husband and founded The Rainbow House, a nonprofit organization for the LGBTQIA community. 

Opponents of the proposal argued that it would dilute the city's Danish brand and potentially confuse visitors. Some supporters noted Denmark's leadership in LGBTQ rights and encouraged the council to keep up with that heritage. 

The city's policy on banners prohibits those for political or religious purposes or for private financial gain that doesn't promote tourism, while staff said that rainbow-themed crosswalks could be considered public art and would need to still function as crosswalks.

SLO County ranks as the 19th most expensive county in California

A recent report by bill management service Doxo reveals that household bills in San Luis Obispo County are 33.1% higher than the national average. 

The average SLO County household pays $2,724 per month in bills, with rent, mortgages, auto loans, utilities, auto insurance, cable and satellite, health insurance, mobile phones, life insurance, alarm and security included in the data set. SLO County ranks as the 19th most expensive county in California, with bills accounting for 42 percent of an average annual household income of $77,850.