The $6 Million Question: What Your Livermore School Board Won’t Tell You About Next Week’s Budget Crisis
While most Livermore families are planning summer vacations, your school board is quietly preparing to approve a budget that spends $6 million more than it brings in. The June 17th board meeting isn’t just another bureaucratic formality—it’s a financial reckoning that will determine whether your children’s education survives or suffers.
The Numbers Don’t Lie: A District Living Beyond Its Means
The Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District (LVJUSD) is asking taxpayers to swallow a bitter pill: a 2025-26 budget that allocates $213.1 million in spending against just $207.1 million in revenue. That’s a $6 million deficit that would make any household budget counselor cringe.
But here’s what should make every parent furious: after setting aside required reserves and restricted programs, the district has allocated a measly $17,596 for “Board priorities.” That’s roughly $1.20 per student in a district serving 14,500 children.
To put this in perspective, the median household income in Livermore is approximately $151,784—meaning the average family pays significantly more in annual property taxes than the entire amount the district has earmarked for discretionary spending.
Five Critical Decisions That Will Shape Your Child’s Future
The June 17th meeting features five agenda items that will fundamentally alter how your tax dollars are spent and your children are educated:
1. Budget Adoption: The board must legally approve this deficit spending plan by July 1st. No approval means no operations—but rubber-stamping a budget that spends 103% of its income sets a dangerous precedent.
2. LCAP Approval: This state-mandated plan determines how millions in supplemental funding for English Learners, foster youth, and low-income students gets spent. It’s due to Alameda County by June 30th, giving the public virtually no time for meaningful input.
3. Superintendent Contract Extension: Dr. Torie Gibson, who received a positive evaluation, is positioned for a one-year contract extension through 2027. While leadership continuity matters, extending a contract during a budget crisis raises questions about accountability.
4. Strategic Plan 2025-2030: This five-year roadmap was developed with input from 178 stakeholders, but the real question is whether the district can afford its ambitious goals while running deficits.
5. Management Restructuring: The board plans to finalize a reorganization that creates new Director positions while eliminating others. The net cost? $2,425 annually to the General Fund, plus administrative complexity that may not translate to classroom benefits.
The Leadership Shuffle: More Bureaucracy, Less Accountability
Perhaps most telling is the proposed management restructuring. While the district pleads poverty and cuts classroom positions, it’s simultaneously creating new administrative roles and reclassifying existing ones into Director I, II, and III levels.
The justification? “Better alignment with neighboring districts’ management structures.” Translation: keeping up with the bureaucratic Joneses while your children’s class sizes grow.
What This Means for Your Family
Every deficit dollar spent today is a debt your children will inherit tomorrow. When districts consistently spend more than they earn, the inevitable result is:
- Larger class sizes
- Reduced programs
- Deferred maintenance
- Higher taxes
- Lower property values
The district’s own projections show they’ll meet “state minimum reserve requirements” for the next three years—but minimum requirements are exactly that: the bare minimum before state intervention.
Your Voice Matters—But Only If You Use It
The June 17th meeting begins at 7:00 PM at the District Office (685 E. Jack London Blvd.). Here’s how to make your voice heard:
Before the Meeting:
- Submit formal written correspondence by 4:00 PM on June 16th
- Review the full agenda and budget documents at livermoreschools.org
- Organize with other concerned parents
During the Meeting:
- Submit blue comment cards for specific agenda items
- Submit tan cards for general concerns
- Speak during public comment periods (3 minutes per speaker)
After the Meeting:
- Attend future board meetings to monitor implementation
- Request detailed spending reports
- Consider running for school board in the next election
The Bottom Line
Your school board is about to approve spending $6 million it doesn’t have while creating new administrative positions and extending contracts. They’re counting on public apathy to rubber-stamp decisions that will impact your children for years to come.
The question isn’t whether the district faces financial challenges—it’s whether the board has the courage to make hard choices or will simply pass the buck to future taxpayers.
Don’t let them decide your children’s future without your input. Show up. Speak up. Hold them accountable.
The June 17th meeting starts at 7:00 PM. Your children’s education depends on what happens next.
Tom Wong is an independent investigative reporter and conservative watchdog focused on government accountability and fiscal responsibility in public education.
Sources: 25-06.17 LUSD Regular Board Meeting.pdf, 25-06.17 LVUSD Regular Board Meeting.pdf, Livermore Vine, Census Reporter
