Council to Continue Funding Latchkey Program

The Los Angeles City Council voted Friday to continue subsidizing after-school recreation programs at 306 elementary and junior high schools in the city to help keep so-called latchkey children off the street while their parents work.

In approving an agreement with the Los Angeles Unified School District, the council committed $4.5 million for the supervised programs between 4 and 6 p.m. each weekday. The money will also pay for about 11 hours of weekend programming at some of the schools.

The school district has traditionally provided recreation programs on weekdays between 2 and 4 p.m. but has been unable to afford the later hours. Last fall, the council began subsidizing the programs when it agreed to pay $1.8 million for the second half of the 1988-89 school year.

Subsidy Called a Bargain

Councilman Joel Wachs said the subsidy represents a bargain for city taxpayers.

“The program overall is a lot better than we were able to provide on our own,” Wachs said.

The school district estimates that 21,000 students take advantage of the programs, which involve arts and crafts, drama, sports, drill teams, roller skating and other recreational activities. They are provided at schools that are more than three blocks from recreational facilities or other organizations that offer similar programs. The latchkey program is open to all schoolchildren.

Earlier this week, the council refused to approve the agreement because of concerns that the district was asking for too much money. City officials had expected to pay about $3.5 million for the coming year’s programs, but school district officials said they need $4.5 million.

Wachs and several of his colleagues who earlier objected to the request said Friday that they are now convinced that the school district needs the additional money. School board President Jackie Goldberg, who attended Friday’s council meeting to lobby for the money, said the added costs were for such things as custodian overtime pay.

Board Is ‘Not the Enemy’

The district estimates that it contributes about $660,000 for the extended programs through higher utility bills, clerical and administrative support and training sessions. Goldberg said the district cannot afford to pay more.

“You have to remember the school board is not the enemy,” Councilman Marvin Braude told the council. “It is not a foreign country.”

Only Councilman Ernani Bernardi voted against the agreement.

“If it is such a great program, which it is, then require them to fund it,” he said.