Cut in School Funds Decried
As part of a coordinated statewide appeal for more money for education, the Southeast Coalition of Public Employees sponsored a breakfast Monday at the Rio Hondo Country Club in Downey. It was attended by about 100 school board members, administrators and union officials.
The meeting was addressed by Long Beach School Supt. E. Tom Giugni. He criticized the state budget process, which requires local school boards to draw budgets before they know how much money they will receive in state funding. This year, a number of local school districts have slashed budgets--laying off employes, among other cost-cutting measures--though they have yet to receive final state school allocations. The cuts are made in February and March based on the governor’s proposed budget.
California ranks sixth in the nation in per capita income, he said it is 23rd in spending for kindergarten through 12th-grade education.
“We either pay now to educate youngsters, or pay later for social services and penal institutions,” he said.
School districts statewide have been under pressure since January when Gov. George Deukmejian’s proposed 1987-88 state budget cut their anticipated cost-of-living allowance in half. The final state budget will be decided in July by the Legislature.
Districts represented at the breakfast were ABC, Bellflower, Downey, Little Lake City, Long Beach, Montebello, Norwalk-La Mirada and Paramount.
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