District’s bus service unchanged despite funding cuts

UKIAH, Calif. — School bus transportation at Ukiah Unified School District will remain unchanged this school year despite the state Legislature’s recent cut to funding for free school bus service statewide, The Ukiah Daily Journal reports.

As SBF reported in December, $248 million for home-to-school transportation was slashed as part of mid-year budget cuts. Southern Humboldt Unified School District has eliminated its transportation department as a result of a reduction of more than $710,000 from the state for pupil transportation services due to the cut across the state.

At Ukiah Unified School District, however, the district’s reserves were able to absorb its one-time funding reduction of $467,000.

The newspaper also reports that the governor’s budget summary released last week reflected more possible mid-year funding trigger cuts. In the event that a half-cent sales tax initiative proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown gets on the November 2012 ballot and is passed by voters, transportation will continue to be funded by the state. If the initiative is not passed, the transportation reduction may be ongoing.

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