January 2005 Volume 18 No. 1 By the Way . . . Copies of 2005 Tax Withholding Tables Are Available By the Way . . . State Budget Receives a Technological Makeover Ask 鶹Ƶ . . . Must Community College Districts Contracting with K-12 Districts To Operate a Regional Occupational Program Utilize Credentialed Instructors? Academic Senates May Not be Able to Complain About Administrators Behind Closed Doors Community College Substitute Workers Entitled to Classified Employee Status if They Work More Than 75% of the College Year Don’t Expect Any Enhancements to Pension Benefits During the 2005 Legislative Session Secretary for Education Briefs K-12 Education Coalition Will Community Colleges—Once Again—Be Left Out of the Education Budget Negotiations with Governor Schwarzenegger? Legislative Committee Assignments Announced By the Way . . . Contribution Limits to Tax-Sheltered Annuities Have Been Increased Ask 鶹Ƶ . . . Does Proposition 1A Also Apply to K-12 Schools? Ask 鶹Ƶ . . . Can a District Manage/Administer Its Own IRC 125 Plan? Chancellor’s Office Issues Legal Opinion on Impact of AB 2756 New Financial Control Initiative Cleared for Circulation Statewide Preschool-16 Council Established Domestic Partners Must Now Be Provided Same Benefits as Spouses 2004-05 First Quarter Lottery Apportionment Certified Districts Considering PERS Risk Pool Option Should Proceed With Great Caution Governor’s State of the State Proposes Sweeping Reform Platform More Details on Governor’s Education Budget Proposals