Having already completed its budget more than a month ago, Cal State Long Beach continues to operate while Governor Pete Wilson and the Democrats in Sacramento debate on a state budget that is already four weeks late.
The continuing debate centers around what kind of tax cut California taxpayers should receive from the state's $4.4-billion surplus.
The governor is pushing for a $3.6 billion reduction in the car tax. Last week, Democrats proposed a $2.5 billion cut that would mostly be an income tax credit equal to about half of the property tax people pay on their cars.
The state is acting within emergency legislation allowing CSULB to continue operating, said Robyn Mack, director of the budget and human resources at CSULB.
When the budget is signed higher education should get a respectable increase, she said.
"The increase is comparable to California's other major priorities, public safety and corrections," Mack added.
The two highest priorities within the CSU system, and CSULB, are the five percent compensation increases for faculty and staff and funding to keep up with the enrollment increase, Mack said.
However, faculty at all CSU campuses have yet to sign a compensation agreement.
The main problem concerns merit-based pay. The faculty and the board of trustees have differing opinions on how merit-based pay should be distributed, Mack said.
"The budget can pass, but until the faculty signs a compensation agreement they do not get the pay increase," she said. "They will continue to be paid last year's salary."
Enrollment funding called "catch-up" is used to meet student and workload increases due to growth.
"The catch-up funds will match the budgeted enrollment target," Mack said. "That money is specifically for classes, new faculty and supplies."
When the governor signs the state budget, CSULB could receive a 12 percent increase of $20 million in its budget, she said.
The general fund, which is a little more than 60 percent, $137 million, of CSULB's budget, predominately comes from the state. Fees and tuition make up 17 percent, $55 million of the general fund not allocated by the state.
The rest of the budget is programs such as housing and parking that put generated funds directly back into their programs, Mack said.
Total resources for CSULB's budget add up to more than $300 million.
"We are hopeful the [CSU system] will come away with all the requested money," Mack said.