Lake Elsinore school officials defended their budget Thursday, saying there is no more money available as they attempt to offset an anticipated $10.7 million budget deficit next year.

"We've been scrubbing this budget ever since October," Assistant Superintendent George Landon said during the monthly board meeting. "I don't believe that there are funds there that are magically going to fall out and make this (deficit) disappear."

The report was presented to a board room full of school employees, most wearing black and sporting stickers that read: "Come back to the table."

Lake Elsinore Unified School District last month declared an impasse in budget talks with the teachers union. Support workers then voted against a tentative agreement with the district.

The school district previously anticipated $148 million in revenue and $168 million in expenditures in 2010-11. Administrators have already approved numerous cost-cutting measures expected to save the district $9.5 million next year, but a little more than $10 million remains to be cut.

With no new labor deals in hand, the district sent preliminary layoff notices to more than 180 teachers this week. Trustees were expected to vote Thursday night on eliminating 67 support positions, but had not done so by The Californian's deadline.

To help save a number of those jobs, negotiators have asked all employees to take an 8 percent pay cut. That would shave $8.6 million in expenses, Landon said.

A slight boost in revenues due to increased attendance and more belt tightening, especially in purchases, could end up balancing the budget, Landon said. But he added that counting on that would be a gamble.

"I don't want to gamble with the district fiscal picture because it affects a lot of folks," he said.

Landon said he's hoping for the best but doesn't see a lifesaver, such as the federal stimulus funds received last year, which allowed the district to eliminate furlough days that employees had agreed to.

Seeking concessions from employees is the latest move to reduce expenses.

Previous cuts include closing Butterfield Elementary School and eliminating some management positions and reassigning other managers to different jobs.

Administrators said $500,000 could be saved by making changes to the home-to-school busing program, which the board was scheduled to hear a report about later in the meeting.

Call staff writer Craig Shultz at 951-676-4315, ext. 2625.