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Streamlined Budget Process on Horizon for San Diego School Board

The San Diego school board is revamping the district's budget process so that future spending plans are easier to read and understand. KPBS reporter Ana Tintocalis has more.

Streamlined Budget Process on Horizon for San Diego School Board

The San Diego school board is revamping the district's budget process so that future spending plans are easier to read and understand. KPBS reporter Ana Tintocalis has more.

Trustee John DeBeck blasted district officials this summer when they handed him this year's $2.2 billion spending plan.   

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DeBeck : The issue for me is a crappy, presumptive budget process.

That process prompted the board to initially reject the budget. Trustees also complained about the spending blueprint, which didn't explain why certain programs were funded.

Trustee Katherine Nakamura says the situation was so bad she decided to launch a budget reform effort.

Nakamura : It takes good communication with your finance department. If your finance department doesn't want to tell you what's going on, and if you don't really have the background to know what to ask for, it can be a pretty long, dark tunnel.

Nakamura researched 11 award-winning school district budgets. Board members and district officials are now devising a spending plan based on that data.

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Ana Tintocalis, KPBS News.