The Oakland school district pulled up to a crossroads Wednesday night, the school board deciding which way to go: Vote to eliminate more than 400 jobs next year or stay on the path toward a fiscal cliff.
Before the vote, Oakland Unified Superintendent Denise Saddler, her voice raised with emotion, warned the board that a no vote would mean the district would run out of cash next year and be unable to pay the bills, probably leading to a state takeover.
“It is an emergency,” she said. “I’ll tell you this: If we don’t make some decisions related to our budget tonight, we won’t be able to pay all the people on our payroll in the fall.”…