Alhambra : Schools’ Partial Victory

The Alhambra School District has won a partial victory in its quest for $1 million from the state to pay for environmental impact studies, property negotiations and relocation assistance for a high school site. The state Allocation Board, which distributes building funds to schools, awarded $44.6 million to Alhambra last spring for construction of a high school but omitted $1 million in site acquisition expenses. The Alhambra district appealed for additional money. The Allocation Board refused to appropriate additional funds but has decided that Alhambra can use part of the $44.6 million to pay 85% of the cost of environmental impact studies, property negotiations and relocation assistance. John Perko, associate superintendent, said the decision should enable the district to award a contract for environmental impact studies early next year. The school board has declared its “preference” for a high school site at Jackson and Graves avenues in Rosemead, but residents have organized to fight the proposal and the board has not yet made a final site selection.