In making multiyear projections for the fiscal future of the Goleta Union School District, the staff proposed a long list of possible expenditure cuts Wednesday evening for the board of trustees to consider.

The difficulty of planning budgets in advance is further complicated by the state’s many revisions to its budget, so the district can’t be sure exactly how much of a deficit it’ll face for the 2010-2011 year.

Including the expected 1 percent growth in area property taxes and enrollment, the district expects spending reductions of $250,000 next year and $240,000 for 2011-12.

“We can do it with some balance,” said Ralph Pachter, assistant superintendent of fiscal services.

Some savings have already been realized — including trims to discretionary spending and upcoming retirements. Among the suggested cuts for next year were the option of increasing K-3 class sizes from 20-to-1 to 22-to-1 ratios and suspending summer school, which most board members opposed.

Bill Gadsby and Dean Nevins, however, said adding a couple of children to each classroom would be preferable to cutting programs if the financial situation gets dire.

Other options for cuts include suspending strategic plans for various areas, eliminating a maintenance worker position, eliminating a half-time multimedia assistant position, and reducing nonessential travel and training costs.

For now, however, the board is saved from extremely disruptive cuts to programs, faculty or staff. Even current projections of necessary cuts are based on the assumption that funds Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger promised would return, won’t, Superintendent Kathleen Boomer said.

The board directed staff to protect jobs and class sizes, and keep cuts away from classrooms as much as possible. Using the list as a starting point, the staff will determine future spending cut options.

“We can probably get there by tightening our belts in all sorts of places,” Gadsby said.

— Noozhawk staff writer Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com.